I Belong to Them
by cestlavie0919
Summary: Stiles belongs to Peter, Derek, and Isaac until his body chooses who will be his Mate. Until then, he's at their sexual beck and call. Contains knotting. Future chapters coming soon. Rated M for explicit sex. Please review!
1. Chapter 1

_I belong to them_ I told myself. It was a mantra I relied on often, especially near the fool moon. Each of my men have a different way of dealing with me. Peter is rough and powerful. Isaac is inexperienced but careful. Derek is loving and sweet. I know that Derek gets jealous when I have to spend time with the others, but he knows it's necessary.

Peter explained it once. "It's rare," he said. "But it happens. Stiles is a Pack Mate. For a few years, he's our Mate. We'll need to mate with him daily. It'll change his body. Finally, one of us will be chosen as _his_ Mate for life."

"I don't have a choice in this!" I protested. "This isn't fair!"

"You have all the choice," Peter replied dismissively. "Your body is going to choose who becomes your mate. We're just giving it the tools it needs to make the decision."

I splashed some water on my face. The person in the mirror seemed like a stranger today. I know it's cliché, but that's how it feels sometimes. There are moments when the old me comes through, but now I'm mostly just afraid. Derek brings the best out of me, but Peter and Isaac make me retreat back into my shell.

In the last year and a half, I've lived in the Hale house… or Hell House as I've come to call it. Each day, I get fucked and knotted by each of them: Derek, Isaac, and Peter. I'm constantly sore and my body is beginning to betray me. Their semen is changing me. My senses are getting better. And I'm starting to crave them. All three of them. Especially Peter. That scares me the most because what if my body chooses him? I'm going to have my Mate's kids. Do I really want to be Peter's Mate? Fuck no. I don't want to be a Mate at all. I just want to get married and start a family… but not in the way that I'm now fated to.

I limped into my room and collapsed onto my bed. _Just a little sleep…_ I convinced myself. Just as I drift off, I smell Derek's cologne in my room and feel him crawl into the bed. _Well, it could be worse._

Derek puts his arm around me, nuzzling me closely. I appreciate the romantic gesture, but I can still feel his hard dick pressing against me and I know what he wants. But he's always the nicest about it so I allow my naked body to melt into his. "You smell like them," he groaned.

His comment wasn't what I wanted to hear. "Next time I'm being fucked and knotted against my will, I'll do my best to make sure to not retain their scent," I retorted.

Derek caressed my cheek. "I didn't mean it like that," he said softly. "I just really hate seeing you like this."

His words just seemed to anger me. "Then why not just claim me as yours! Or fucking turn me yourself!"

"I've told you! I can't! It would get me killed, then how could I protect you?"

"How can you protect me if I belong to Peter?" I whimpered. "He mates with me three times a day at least! I'm going to end up being his!"

"Your body doesn't choose on that criteria. If anything, that only speeds up the change and by extension the choice," Derek assured. "Your body is going to choose the wolf that will father the strongest pups. Peter is past his prime. Your body will choose me."

"Whatever," I growled. I moved myself into position for him. "Just get it over with. I'm tired."

Derek took off his clothes and entered me. I could tell he was trying to make it as pleasurable as possible by spending time kissing and caressing me. Normally, I would have appreciated that effort, but today was not one of those days. Always great at reading me, he continued to thrust until the swelling came. He began to knot me, linking our bodies. It always hurt and I could feel myself gritting my teeth. "It'll be over soon," Derek cooed as his cum poured into me.

As much as I hated the present moment, I did like when Derek knotted me. It made me feel close to him in a way I didn't have with the other two. "If there's any way to stack the deck… please, Derek. Let me know. I want... I need to be yours."

Derek kissed me as if I were made of glass. "I can't make any promises, Stiles. But I'll do my best. Do you want me jack you off?"

I shook my head. I could feel my body absorbing his seed, using it to slowly morph me into the perfect Werebitch for one of them. I hated that term. Soon his knot faded and he pulled out, leaving me feeling uncomfortably vacant. "I just want to be with you for now. Peter's going to be home soon and he's going to want to mate again." Derek nodded and laid there with me. Eventually we fell asleep.

Sure enough, a couple hours later, Peter's knock on the door woke us from our slumber. "My turn," he announced. Despite Derek's glares, Peter picked me up off the bed.

"Be gentle with him," Derek pleaded, eliciting a scoff from Peter.

"You mate your way and I'll mate mine."

Once we were in Peter's room, he shut the door and threw me face-down on the bed. He quickly disrobed and entered me with no warning or prep. The thing was, Peter was really sexy and my body craved him at times. He satisfied the more animalistic urges I was starting to have. But there was no passion. No finesse. Stamina, on the other hand… once he lasted nearly four hours. I could barely walk for two days after that, even with my somewhat quickened healing. He pumped into me furiously for an hour or so before his already massive dick started swelling even more and his knot tied us together and his cum began to fill me up. "I know you want to be Derek's Mate," he told me. "But would it be so bad to be mine? I mean you already have 66% chance of having Hale puppies anyway."

"Why would I want to be your mate?" I groaned. Peter still hadn't quite mastered the fact that if he moves while he's knotting, it hurts like hell. "You treat me like I'm just a piece of meat. You don't even look at me when you do this."

"I do look at you!" Peter protested. "I just look at the back of you."

"Exactly! It's like I'm not even here! JESUS FUCKING CHRIST! Stay still!" I shouted.

"If you end up as my Mate, the way I think about you will change. My wolf will want to take care of you and the urge will overwhelm my human side," Peter explained.

"Great, so your inner animal will treat me better than you do. That's just lovely," I replied.

"Stiles, I'm trying as best I can…"

"That's debatable." I didn't care to hear his lies. "When will I know for sure that I have a Mate?"

Peter sighed. "There will come a day when one of us tries to fuck you and we don't knot. It might not be all at once. Your body may rule one out first."

Well that was just fucking great. I wouldn't just know… I still had to be fucked to figure this out.

"You started this whole thing, you know," Peter said.

"I never signed up for _this_."

"You couldn't leave well enough alone. You slept with Derek. Then you slept with me…. Then you slept with Isaac. I'm not saying you shouldn't have slept around… I'm just saying… try sticking with your own species," Peter explained.

My curiosity had always been my downfall. It's true. I'd left my single-minded pursuit of Lydia. Maybe it was all the times that Derek pushed me up against the wall… but I wanted him to fuck me more than I wanted to breathe. And he could smell it on me. Soon after, we were regularly hooking up. But he was always so delicate with me. Peter realized what was happening shortly after and offered. What can I say? I was a horny dude and he satisfied some weird Daddy kink I had. And Isaac… well, he joined in with me and Peter once.

That encounter started out fun… but it ended with both men knotting me, only Peter knotted my ass and Isaac knotted my mouth. I thought I was going to drown in Isaac's cum. I didn't even know men could make that much, but then I realized Isaac wasn't a man. He was a werewolf. Then Derek knotted me the next time he and I hooked up. I should have left Beacon Hills when Scott warned me. But no. I stayed. And this is where it got me.

"What if I don't choose you?" I asked him.

I could feel him shrugging behind me. "If I'm not the wolf you choose, then I'll still protect you and your pups because you're Pack. We protect each other."


	2. Chapter 2

I felt awful. I was running a fever. I had no energy. I was sleeping all day. The werewolves were taking shifts to check on me. This had been going on for a week now. This afternoon, I awoke to all three of them in my room.

"Why does it smell like that?" Peter asked, wrinkling his nose, pacing back and forth.

"I've smelled that before… it's not good," Isaac replied, shooting a look to the Alphas.

"I'm having a hard time keeping my wolf locked inside," Derek confessed. "I don't know what's going on."

"I can feel it too, but you need to keep it together," Peter ordered.

"Maybe we should bring him to Scott or Deaton?" Isaac suggested.

"Scott would freak," I managed to say.

"Deaton it is, then," Peter ordered. "Derek, grab him some clothes." Derek grabbed an outfit out of my dresser and Peter helped to put it on me. "Go pull the car up," he said, and Derek and Isaac walked out. There was a fear in Peter's eyes that I'd never seen before. He gingerly picked me up and held me close to his chest. "You're burning up."

"Peter… am I dying?" I asked him.

A growl emitted from his throat and I saw his nostrils flare. "Don't talk like that." I could feel the Alpha in him compelling me. Wait… I felt his Alpha status…

"I can't breathe," I gasped. My breaths were shallow and took much more effort than I had energy for.

"Then we need to hurry," he said softly, carrying me out and putting me in the car. He sat in the back seat with me, wiping the beads of sweat off my forehead. "You're going to be okay," he told me. I could feel the attempt he was making to command it, too bad my body wasn't able follow that command.

"Keep this up and I just might believe you care about me," I joked. No one laughed.

Soon they were pulling into Deaton's vet office and Peter carried me in, laying me gingerly on the table. "Please, help him," Derek pleaded.

"I'd need to know what's going on before I could," Deaton replied.

"He's our Pack Mate. He's been sick for the last week and it's only getting worse," Isaac said.

"And have you three continued mating with him during his sickness?" Deaton asked, checking my vitals and doing other doctor stuff.

"No, because he was sick," Derek growled.

"He wasn't sick, Derek," Deaton started. Deaton turned his attention to me directly. "Your body is changing. It has been for a while now… but the changes are triggered and continued by their uh… seed. The original sickness was just your organs rearranging and your womb forming. But now, without their continued contributions to the change, your body is starting to reject the werewolf beginning to form. Your organs are shutting down."

"Just fucking great," I groaned. "They have to fuck the sickness out of me."

"I'm afraid so," Deaton replied. "The sooner the better, actually. I'll… I'll give you some privacy."

Derek and Peter pulled off my pants and underwear, moving me into position for Isaac to start. He was the obvious choice because he didn't last nearly as long. If Peter had done it, it could have taken hours and I didn't want Derek to have to see that. He was already looking away, not wanting to see me penetrated by Isaac.

Peter didn't care. He stared, watching every reaction I had to Isaac. He noticed every grimace. Every wince. Every time I gasped. Eventually, when the time came, he held my hand so I could squeeze it against the pain of Isaac's knot. The relief I felt as my body began absorbing Isaac's semen was profound and fast. Almost immediately, the fever broke. The nausea was still there, but it was nowhere near what it had been.

When Isaac was done, he pulled out, zipping his pants back up. There was sweat on his brow. He kissed me on the cheek and I heard a slight growl from Derek, who then went and got Dr. Deaton while Peter covered me back up.

When Deaton returned, he checked my vitals. "I'd like to talk with Mr. Stilinski," he said. None of the wolves moved. Deaton rolled his eyes and added "Alone."

Isaac left first, then Peter, and finally Derek, though I could see on Derek's face that he didn't want to.

"Are you doing alright?" he asked when he was certain it was safe to do so.

"Aside from being fucked unmercifully by three werewolves multiple times a day and just almost dying… sure, I'm peachy," I replied dryly.

"Has Peter explained any of this to you?"

"Sort of," I said. "It's just… I don't understand it all. Why don't I get a choice in who my mate is? Shouldn't my observations help factor in to who would be a better father to my future kids?"

"You're scared it'll be Peter aren't you?" Deaton whispered. I nodded, tears threatening to fall.

"He doesn't care about me. He just wants me to give him pups," I told him. "Derek loves me. He'd love me even without the whole Pack Mate thing going on."

"The whole Mate thing is complicated. But you have some say in it all. Your body will listen to you to an extent. But the choice will be made based on what is best for the pups," Deaton said.

"Derek! He would be best!" I protested.

"Not necessarily," Deaton countered. "He's an Alpha, and he's a strong wolf, but he's inexperienced. He could put you and your kids in danger and not even realize it. He's impulsive. How many times have you almost died because he rushed into things?"

Fuck. He had a point. Derek _was_ impulsive. He had excellent control over his wolf, but his human emotions had more control over him. I would become a distraction for him, so would our children. Peter was cold, calculating. He was the kind of person who won games of chess before they even started.

The wolves came back in to check on me. "Is he good to go?" Derek asked.

Deaton nodded, patting me on my back. "You're clear. Call me if you need to," he said.

"Are you okay to walk?" Isaac asked, coming to my side and helping me off the table. I still felt a little unsteady on my feet, but with his and Peter's help, I was able to make it to the car. Again Peter rode in the back with me and carried me into his room after, shutting the door behind him. He laid me gently on the bed and began to disrobe.

Back to business as usual. I obliged him by taking off my clothes. I'd come to feel more comfortable in the nude anyway. Peter crawled into bed beside me and held me close. He nuzzled his face against my neck and let his hands explore me in a way only Derek's had.

My body was craving him. "Are you trying to scent me?" I asked.

Peter shook his head. "I'm trying to make love to you. I've never really done that before. With anyone."

That was not the answer I expected. "Okay," I murmured. "Umm… well, touching and kissing is a good start," I said. How the do you talk a man in his mid-thirties through something like this? Then I thought of all the fantasies I'd had of Lydia. "Your goal is the other person's pleasure before your own. Get as many of the senses involved as possible."

Peter nodded his understanding and started kissing me. I was surprised to find that he really was a great kisser. He moved his hand down to my dick. Derek was the only one who touched me there… other than me, of course. I could tell that it was foreign for him to do this to another guy so I placed my hands over his and moved him at my preferred pace. It felt amazing. He continued like that for a little longer before stopping. "I want to try this…" he said before kissing me once more on my lips, then moving down my torso. He licked my nipples in a way that brought shivers through me and then kissed me just above my belly button before taking me into his mouth. I bucked upwards accidentally, causing him to gag.

"Sorry," I whispered.

He pulled off to ask "Did I do something wrong?"

I laughed. "No… it felt great." Peter smiled and continued. I moaned and clawed at the sheets beneath me. Peter brought me just to the brink before pulling off. I gave a disappointed whimper.

"Not yet…" he told me. He moved back up my body, kissing me deeply when we were once again face-to-face. Slowly he entered me. It was uncomfortable because of his size. He saw this and wrapped his arms around me, turning us over so that I was on top. "Go at your pace," he told me. I had to admit, I was really turned on by this. I found Peter to be really hot, but he hated the way Peter treated me. But this… this was turning me on in ways he never thought possible from him. This was the effect Derek had on me.

I felt bad for thinking of Derek so much. I also felt like I was betraying him somehow. I'm sure he could hear or smell what was going on and that made me feel bad too… but what Peter was doing made me feel great. Slowly I lowered myself onto him, watching the look of pleasure as my body engulfed his dick. Finally, he was all the way in. I felt full. Stuffed to the max. It was slightly uncomfortable, but I was having so many urges to pleasure the Alpha. I allowed myself to adjust. It didn't take long. My body was pretty used to him. I started to slowly bounce on top of him. I rose almost entirely off of his dick, before falling back down on it, moaning at the waves of pleasure racking through me. A week without sex had left me wanting it more than I thought, especially now that I wasn't dying anymore.

"It feels better like this," Peter told me.

"Sometimes I like it rough. There are times when that's what my body craves from you," I told him, picking up the pace a little. "I just hate it when I feel like I'm just a hole for your dick."

Peter flipped us over, picking up exactly where I left off, maintaining the same speed. I started coaching him up to a faster speed. The pace they ended up at had me moaning so loudly that I was thankful we lived in the middle of nowhere. I came violently, cum spurting out all over myself. Peter's skin glistened with a little sweat, but I knew he was getting close because his thrusts were becoming more erratic. Finally he buried himself deep inside me as his dick began to swell, stretching me even further as his knot left us tied together. "This might take a while," he warned. "What do you and Derek do when he's knotting you?"

I was a little shocked that he even asked that. I kind of figured that was a personal thing. "Each other… sometimes we don't talk at all. We just cuddle." I could feel my strength growing as more of his cum blasted into me.

"Why didn't you ever tell me how much you hated sex with me?"

I laughed. "I figured you knew. I wasn't exactly cooperative."

"You've never been cooperative with me," Peter chuckled. "I had to bash your head into the car to get you to type in Scott's password. Sorry about that by the way. I just thought that was our thing."

"I'd forgotten about that," I confessed. "But I love Derek. And I know he loves me. I never intended to become the Pack Mate. I only intended to become his."

"I shouldn't have fucked you that night," Peter said regretfully. "I love my nephew. I want him to be happy and I know he'll be happy with you."

"If you're chosen… can I still be with him?" I asked.

Peter frowned. "If I get chosen, your wolf and mine will become permanently linked. I'm not sure if they'd let you. Mates are something sacred to our kind. You mate for life. Having a mate changes everything for you both." He must have seen my disappointment because he added, "If we can make it happen, I'll let you when you're not fertile."

"What sparked the change? Not that I'm complaining," I asked.

"I heard what you said to Deaton. I won't lie. I want to be your Mate. I want you to have_ my_ pups. But I don't want you to hate me for it," Peter replied. He kissed me. Until now, it had been so easy to demonize Peter and make him the bad guy. I felt myself growing a little angry that he chose now to work on my perception of him. I had to wonder: how would I feel about him if all this time, I'd been dealing with the Peter who was in my arms right now. I could imagine myself being in love with this Peter, which only made me feel guiltier.

"Why?" I found myself asking before I could strangle the words back.

Peter smiled, trying to move us into a more comfortable position, which was difficult with his knot still pouring what felt like gallons of semen into me. The sensation was bizarre, but not unpleasant. The movement, however, was. Each time, the knot tugged uncomfortably against me, causing me to wince or yelp. The position we ended up had both of us on our sides, my legs wrapped around him, helping to accommodate his girth. He looked pensive. Finally, he answered. "You intrigue me. As a mere human boy you were able to be to Scott what I should have been as his Alpha. You were never afraid of me or Derek, despite the dangers you knew you faced. You were always fiercely loyal to your friends. Your sense of humor helped too." He paused to kiss me. "You've always run toward my kind when we've brought you nothing but bad news. Then when you started hooking up with Derek… I knew there was something between you two. I just never expected that you'd ask me, as well. I had to know what you felt like… what drew Derek to you."

His answer confused me, but I liked it.

"If you had accepted when I offered you the bite, I have no doubt we would have been Mates," Peter confessed.

"And what makes you think that?"

"Because of the New Moon ritual."

I laughed a bit. "And what the hell is the New Moon ritual?"

"The first new moon following the successful turning of a new werewolf, the Alpha takes his beta hunting. They eat their kill together and after, the Alpha mounts his beta, solidifying their bond," Peter explained.

"So did you and Scott?" I asked. Peter nodded and my eyes widened.

"I ordered him not to remember it."

"And Derek… with all of his?"

Another nod.

"But you two were born werewolves?"

"It works differently if your born into a pack. You only have to go through the ritual if you are turned, or leave your born pack and join another."

"How is it that I'm just learning about this stuff now?" I asked.

"You just started asking about it," Peter replied with a smile. I liked it when Peter was sassy. It made him seem more human.

I felt the torrent of cum stop and Peter's knot begin to fade. My body absorbed the last of it, making me feel strong, but also impossibly horny since I could smell the sex in the room. It was a vicious cycle.

He pulled out of me and tossed me an old shirt to use to wipe my cum off my chest. "Why don't you go to Derek. I know you miss being with him. You've lost his scent entirely."

I did miss being with him, but right now, I felt like I was the star of Werewolf Bachelor and I needed to use this time to get to know Peter better. "I will," I replied, scooting down so my head was between his legs. "Tomorrow." I said before licking up the length of his shaft, eliciting a pleasurable growl. As I looked into his eyes, I saw them flash red, exciting me even further.

The nausea still plagued me as new organs formed within me, but never before had I ever felt more like a werewolf. Even though I had just shown him how to make love to me, I now wanted him to ravage me. To overpower me. To fuck me into submission. I'd never felt an urge like this before and it both excited and scared me.

A smile crossed his face. I didn't even have to tell him. "Somebody is eager…" I saw his fangs protrude and he pulled me up, entering me again. It was going to be a great night.

* * *

**Author's Note**: I hope you enjoyed. This story is going to be LOTS of sex. Let me know what you think. :)


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, I woke up in Peter's arms. It was nice. I got out of bed after placing a chaste kiss on his cheek before entering Derek's room and crawling into bed with him. "How are you feeling?" he asked, still very groggy.

"I feel much better," I told him.

"Good. You two were loud last night," he said, finally opening his eyes.

I could feel my ears getting warm and could only imagine how red my face was. "Sorry," I replied sheepishly.

He grinned. "It's okay. It just made me hornier. Are you ready for a week's worth of pent up sexual frustration?"

To be honest, I'd had a week's worth of sex last night with Peter. We had done nearly every position and explored several of his fantasies. I was interested to learn that he had a leather harness and I found that I actually really enjoyed the ball gag, though I ended up destroying it when my werewolf teeth formed mid-fuck and bit right through it. My transformation was happening, and my cravings were becoming insatiable.

Derek crawled on top of me and pushed into my opening. My body welcomed him in and my fingernails scratched down his muscular back as he thrust himself in and out of me, having an almost instinctual knowledge of what drove me absolutely wild. His pace became more ragged as time went on and I could tell he was holding back his orgasm, but finally he slammed himself in, expanding as his knot pumped me full of his cum. "I don't want Peter to think I'm going easy for him. You will be mine," he growled.

"You heard my conversation with Deaton didn't you?" I asked.

"Yep."

"And what I said to Peter last night?"

"Every word."

"Is there such a thing as a private conversation in this house?" My exasperation was evident in my voice.

"You have three werewolves all trying to become your mate… privacy is a bit hard to come by," he said. "However, it'll change when you have a Mate."

I had to admit, I liked the idea of privacy... particularly with Derek. One night with Peter didn't change the fact that I wanted to be Derek's Mate. "Well, if you heard my conversation with Deaton, then you know how to improve your odds."

"I've got to be a better Alpha," he said.

"We've got about seven months give or take," I told him. His knot finished emptying into me and he pulled out. He was breathing heavy, but I didn't have any release from that encounter, which frustrated me. I laid with my head on his shoulder and one hand on his stomach.

"What are we going to do if it isn't me?" he asked.

"It will be you!" I exclaimed. "It has to be you. I don't know what I'd do if it isn't you! I want it to be you!"

"Since when has what you want ever been a factor in what life has thrown at you?" Derek replied grumpily.

I sat up, giving him an incredulous look. "It rarely is. But you know what? Instead of moping around like some sour wolf, I make the best of it and I strive for better."

Derek must have known he'd fucked up a bit, because he started to sit up. I stopped him. My emotions were going every which way and I could barely think straight. Now was not the time to have this conversation. "Just come find me when you feel like handling the situation like an Alpha would." I knew that was a low blow by the hurt look on his face, but he needed to hear it. I was just so tired of him being a pussy! Of all of us, I was the most helpless in the situation. They could do something about it, particularly Derek!

I left his room closing the door behind me. I was still not wearing any clothes. Peter, in particular, had preferred it that way. It made him mating me much easier. Even Isaac had surprise-mounted me quite a few times. Derek was the only one who ever seemed to care about my consent.

As I walked down the hall, I saw Isaac lying in my bed. "What are you doing?" I asked.

He seemed to look embarrassed. "I was going to surprise you this morning, but you were with Derek. Your bed smelled like you so I just decided to crash here for a bit."

"You know that's level 10 creepy, right?" I shut my door and lied down next to him.

"I can't wait until one of them gets chosen so we can go back to being friends… before all of this bullshit started," he sighed.

"Me too," I agreed before the realization of what he said actually hit me. "Wait a sec… what?"

"Come on… you didn't honestly think we'd end up being Mates did you? I'm a Beta. I'm not going to get to claim the Pack Mate. You're going to be with one of them. And I'll be the best uncle ever… and things won't be awkward between us anymore," he rambled.

"Things didn't start getting awkward until you started fucking me against my will," I corrected.

"I'm really sorry about that," he told me. "I can't imagine what it's like for you. But on the same note, you have no idea what it's like for us. I can't even close my eyes without seeing you. I want to be inside you every moment of every day and there are times when I feel like I'll go insane if I don't. This past week… it was hell for us all. Peter and I ended up having to fuck each other just to get rid of some of the energy."

"That sounds… frustrating," I ceded, staring up at the ceiling.

"It twists my head a lot, too," Isaac continued. "I've never really been in love with you… not the way Derek is. I've felt protective of you because you're my friend… and because Derek loves you and he's my Alpha. But my wolf is obsessed with you and sometimes I lose track of where it ends and where I begin."

"How do you handle it?" I asked. It was interesting hearing Isaac describe it. All this time, I'd been so absorbed in the fact that this was happening against my will that I never anticipated that their wills were being violated too.

"It's hard. I only ever feel like me when I'm knotting you. It's like my wolf is happy, so it lets me be in peace. Like right now… lying next to you… I just want to fuck you until you don't even know what your name is. It clouds my head," he confessed.

I felt sorry for him. Unfortunately, there was only one way to ease his burden. I opened my legs, inviting him to take me. We didn't kiss, but it was okay because I knew that I was helping him get some peace. I grunted with each powerful thrust. We fucked in silence until his knot made movement impossible. He let out a gasp and collapsed on top of me. "When this is over… will you forgive me, Stiles?" he whispered. I could feel a few tears fall from his face onto my shoulder.

"Why would you need my forgiveness?" I asked, running my fingers through his hair. He cried for a few more moments before wiping his face.

"Because I know I've hurt you and you don't deserve it," he whimpered.

"Don't cry," I told him. "It's fine. I heal now."

Eventually, his knot faded and he was able to pull out of me. I quickly pulled on some clothes and ran outside. I needed to get away from them all. I dashed out of the house and into the woods surrounding the house. I ran until I reached my old house. I hadn't been inside it since this started. My dad thought I ran away. I had to make him think that. I could see his police car parked in the driveway. Scott gave me regular updates on him and even occasionally did things to help keep him company. He was a good friend like that. Dad didn't even know that I was so close. Literally only a few miles away from him.

He had no idea that he was going to become a grandfather. That his son was, for all intents and purposes, marrying a werewolf. I felt a little like Bella Swan from Twilight and the thought of that made me more nauseous than I had been this entire week.

I began my walk back to the Hale house, not in any hurry. I enjoyed the feeling of the sun on my skin and the fresh air in my lungs. My senses were getting better. I was able to see better detail and smell more. I had no idea what day it was. I knew it was at least mid-fall due to the leaves. I never realized what autumn smelled like until now. It was captivating.

I spent the entire day outside testing out my new senses and enjoying a day of freedom that I thought was well-earned. I ended up spending most of the time shirtless, wanting to cash in on as much vitamin D as possible. My time spent in the Hale House had left me astonishingly pale. More so than I had been before. When darkness began to fall, I headed back home, only to be greeted by two rather angry looking Alphas.

"Where have you been?" Derek demanded.

"I went for a walk," I answered.

"Were you seen by anyone?"

"No, I was careful!" I insisted.

"This can't happen again, Stiles… the risk is too great. What if you get seen? What if a Hunter finds you?" Peter interjected.

"I'm your Pack Mate! Not your prisoner! I've been cooped up in this damn house for over a year! I think I deserve at least a day to myself!" I protested.

Peter and Derek shared a look. Derek's eyes turned red. I felt a suffocating pressure. "You will not venture on your own again." He was using a command as an Alpha. I stared at him defiantly, trying to resist it. "You will stay inside where it's safe unless one of us accompanies you. Do you understand?" The pressure was mounting and I could feel it overwhelming me. Finally I fell to my knees in submission to him. I glared at him trying to convey the anger and hurt I felt in that moment because his will was overpowering mine to the point that I couldn't even speak against him to plead my case. I tried to open my mouth but nothing came out. He stared even more intently and my defiant stare was hidden because I bowed down. He made me bow to him! I couldn't believe it. I screamed out in my frustration.

"The Alpha's commands are final," he said dismissively before returning to his room, slamming the door behind him. Without him staring the command into me, I was able to once again sit up.

I wanted to storm out of the house, but the moment the thought crossed my mind, it felt like chains were dragging me down to the floor. I let out an enraged scream. Peter watched me silently for several long minutes before deciding to speak. "You can't have it both ways, Stiles. You asked Derek to be a better Alpha. You can't hate him for it when he does."

"He didn't need to do _that._" I replied indignantly.

"Would you have obeyed him otherwise?" I couldn't honestly say yes. Peter knew this. "I would have handled it the same way."

"He took away my free will. How the fuck could he do that to me?" I demanded.

"Because he knows you, Stiles. And he loves you. And if anything happens to you, it's all of us who suffer. He looked at the bigger picture. Do you know what can happen to us if you die before one of us is chosen? We will literally go insane. We won't be broken from the Pack Mate tie, instead, we will rip each other to shreds. Knowing that, tell me you wouldn't make the same call." He crossed his arms, almost daring me to counter him. And I couldn't. "Now come on… we need to mate for today."

"I don't want to," I murmured. I was well aware that I probably sounded like a five year old. I was also very well aware of the number of fucks I simply didn't give about it.

Peter sighed, uncrossing his arms again. "Stiles, please… don't make me command you to do this…"

"What's stopping you?" I snapped. "Now that I'm wolf enough to be forced to obey your commands, why even worry about my willingness to do anything?"

Peter's crystal blue eyes bored into me. Finally, he let out a sigh and shook his head. "We don't have to mate… just at least let me scent you."

Despite my anger at Derek, it amused me that he wouldn't use the term "cuddle", preferring the more lupine term. Partly to piss of Derek and partly to satisfy my need for proximity, I agreed, following Peter to his room where we stripped off each other's clothes and laid in bed together. I had no doubt in my mind that it would end up with me impaled on his dick, but for now, I was glad for the companionship he was offering.

I still wanted to leave, but the thought caused the suffocating sensation of Derek's order. "Can you take back his command?" I asked as I felt his bare chest against my back.

"I can't rescind another Alpha's orders. You are technically subordinate to both of us. The order will lift if I become your Mate," he said.

Well that was just fucking great. I could feel his hard dick pressed against me. I liked knowing that I had that effect on him… even before I became his Pack Mate. "Isaac explained to me what it's like for you guys…" I told him, trying to start conversation.

"No, Isaac explained what it's like for _him_," Peter clarified. "He's a Beta. He's in an entirely different ball field."

"Then what is it like for you?" I asked.

"It's hard to explain."

"Try," I urged.

"I want to fuck you so hard your body breaks in half, yet I am afraid to touch you in case I hurt you. When I'm not fucking you, I'm thinking about fucking you… When I shower, I feel frantic because I don't smell of you anymore. There are times when I want to break my nephew's rib cage and feed him his own organs because I know that he's fucking you," Peter explained. I felt myself grow impossibly hard. _What the fuck is wrong with me?_ I thought. He wasn't done. I could feel his heart beat quicken as he went on. "I want to leave my claw marks on your skin for the others to see. There are moments that I want to fuck you in front of them just to show them how I can make your body sing. And every time my knot is inside you, I can feel our hearts beating together and I know that we can be one wolf… in tandem."

The sensation of his breath on the nape of my neck sent shivers through me. I could feel the fledgling wolf inside me craving him to bite me there… to claim me as his in the language that it understood best. He shoved into me, unable to resist any longer. I howled in pleasure, scratching holes into the sheets as he pounded into me with brutal strength. The way he handled me made my wolf ecstatic. I craved more.

Hours later, I was facing him, he had finally pulled out of me and wrapped his arms around my sweaty torso. He kissed me deeply, longingly. All this time, Derek had been my choice. My _only_ choice. That wasn't the case anymore. This was no longer a competition for my body and my offspring. This was now a competition for my heart. The players were in position and now it was infinitely more complicated because either way I would be a victor. And either way, I would get hurt.

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**Author's Note: **I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter! I certainly enjoyed writing it. Please review!


	4. Chapter 4

I awoke to Peter bringing me a tray of food, almost entirely composed of meat, which was good because I was starting to crave meats. The rarer, the better. "What's all this about?" I asked, pleasantly surprised by the gesture.

"You mentioned something about this in your sleep," he replied sheepishly.

I dug in, savoring everything. "Thank you… so much…" I managed to say in between bites, not bothering to point out how creepy and cute I found the fact that he watched me in my sleep.

"I have to go to the store later. Is there anything you'd like me to grab for you?" he asked.

I couldn't think of anything. "Why do you need to go?"

"Sheets."

I looked around myself, realizing that I was lying on mostly just mattress, the sheets having been shredded by my indiscriminant use of claws. My eyes widened and I mouthed "Oh…"

Peter chuckled, climbing back into bed with me. "Don't worry. I'll teach you how to control it better."

I leaned over and kissed him. "I'm a very hands-on learner."

He smiled. "I'm a very hands-on teacher." I could feel my heart start racing again. I couldn't believe that I was falling in love with Peter. I felt like I belonged on the Jerry Springer show. I could picture the episode now: "Help! I'm in love with a teen werewolf and his werewolf uncle!" Derek wasn't exactly a teen, but a headline like that would be sure to get some views.

Derek… I still wasn't over my anger at him for his command. I continued eating in silence until there was nothing left on the plate. I tried to start something with Peter, placing my hand high on his thigh, but he rebuffed me. "I don't want to have to replace the mattress just yet." We both burst into laughter and he kissed me. "Believe me… it's not easy telling you 'no.'" It wasn't exactly easy to hear "no" either. I pulled on one of his bath robes and suggested we leave the bedroom before the temptation was too much.

We brought the dishes down into the kitchen and washed them together. We didn't speak much, but I was just happy to be doing something alongside him. Even something as boring as dishes.

In the upstairs hallway, Derek came out of his room as we were heading into Peter's. The anger boiled back up in me as fresh as it was last night and I glared daggers into him. "Are you still angry about last night?"

My first instinct had been to not answer him at all. My first instinct could go fuck itself. "I'd have gone for a walk to clear my head, but even the thought of it left me unable to breathe. So what the fuck do you think?"

He looked like I really _had_ glared daggers into him. Peter grabbed my arm. Peter pulled me into his room as Derek retreated into his own room, slamming the door. I could almost feel the rage radiating off of Peter. "That was uncalled for."

"So was what he did," I countered.

"Rule number 1 of being a werewolf: You never question your Alpha," Peter growled, his face only inches from my own. "If your Alpha gives an order, you trust the judgement and you follow it."

"That might be the rule for werewolves. But for humans, we value our freedom. I'm not happy that a few words from one of you can take that away from me… and already has. When I even _think_ about that front door, I feel like I'm suffocating. How is that fair to me?" I growled back. I could see my bright yellow werewolf eyes reflecting back in Peter's blue human eyes.

"You can be incredibly infuriating sometimes. After the full moon, you will be a full-fledged werewolf. What excuses will you use then? Or are you just going to just continue to trample over every other aspect of Werewolf life?" Peter's voice was venomous. The only thing that scared me more was the pounding on Peter's door.

"Open up," Derek demanded.

Peter backed away and let Derek in, unable to look at me any longer. I had no friends in this room at the moment. I became very aware of how fragile I still was.

Derek rushed toward me. He grabbed the fabric of the robe, pushing me up against the wall. "I don't know how to please you anymore. You come to me and beg me to be a better Alpha so I can be your Mate, then you blow up on me. I try to be a better Alpha and this is what I get? I think you need to figure out what you want because I'm not going to try to ride this roller coaster with you. I'm going to be me and if that's not okay with you, then I hope you and Peter are very happy Mates." As he finished talking, he backed away from me, putting his hands up like I had dirtied them somehow.

"I'm not that scared teen you used to slam into things anymore!" I shot back. "I've been through too much… and I've stood by you for too long to still be that person! I don't need you to protect me 24/7! I'm turning into a werewolf! My senses are better and my reflexes are too. I can protect myself if it comes to that. I went a year without leaving this house! I opened my legs every time you wanted me to. I need you to trust me a little!"

"I DID TRUST YOU!" he roared. "And then you went and fucked Peter and Isaac and got us into this mess! I wanted to be able to turn you… for us to become Mates and now, it's not up to me. And that's _your_ fault."

That was simply unfair. "Lovely that this is coming out now! Maybe if you had made me feel like something more than a fuck buddy, I might have been less inclined to fuck them!"

Peter stood there uncomfortably watching the verbal volleyball match. "If I may…"

"You may not," Derek interjected. He continued staring into my eyes as he spoke. "Because you knew how I felt about him. I told you how I felt about him and you still…"

"He wasn't the person who needed to hear that!" I protested. "If you wanted to start a life with me, then _I_ should have been the person you told. Now I'm your Pack Mate and I love you Derek… I've loved you for a very long time… but now I love Peter too and it isn't fair that I'm just now learning that you loved me all along… before all of this!"

"It's not fair… you sound like a broken record! None of this is fair! It's not fair to me that I have to listen to the sounds of my uncle fucking you across the hall. It's not fair that I may not get to be with you and have to watch you be happy with him. Having his kids. But you don't hear me bitching about it all the fucking time!" he shouted.

"Will you two just kiss? Or fuck? Or whatever it'll take to get you out of my room?" Peter suggested, an air of annoyance on his voice.

Derek glared at Peter, but then returned his gaze to me. "What _will _it take to get you out of his room?"

"Take back the command," I said simply. I kind of figured that was pretty obvious.

"Will you at least let one of us know if you venture off?" he asked. It was clear that was going to be a deal breaker for him so I agreed to it as a condition. His eyes glowed red and I could feel his Alpha influence sweeping over me, forcing me to my knees in front of him. "I rescind the command barring you from leaving."

For several seconds, I felt suffocated, but then as quickly as it came over me, it was gone. I tried to think about walking out the door. There was no pressure filling my lungs. I wrapped my arms around his waist, hugging him tightly. He pulled me up to my feet, placing his hands on either side of my face and kissed me deeply.

"We might not have too much longer. I don't want to spend that time fighting," he whispered as the kiss broke. The wolf inside me stirred slightly. I knew what it wanted.

I followed Derek into his room. Immediately he removed Peter's robe and his own clothes. The two of us stood in his room, body against body, hands running over familiar territory, tongues playing their game of cat-and-mouse.

He grew bored of mere touching and hoisted me up, wrapping my legs around him. Soon he was inside me and I was bouncing up and down, completely lost in my pleasure. My claws began raking across Derek's back. He let out a groan of pain. "Two can play at that game," he grunted.

Suddenly Derek had gone full werewolf. I could feel the warm blood dripping down my back as he scratched into me, now thrusting into me at a more supernatural pace. I felt the world around me start spinning and suddenly things went dark.

I woke up a few minutes later with Derek on top of me. He was no longer in wolf form. His knot was inside me. "What happened?" I groaned.

"I think I quite literally fucked you senseless…" he replied. "I tried to stop, but I knotted before I could pull out."

"That was intense," I said. I gave another groan as he shifted. A few moments of silence passed. "I'm really sorry, Derek…"

He kissed me. "I know you didn't mean any harm. There's a lot you have to get used to."

"I'm scared," I confessed.

"I'd consider you stupid if you weren't," Derek replied with a chuckle.

"Why didn't you ever tell me how you feel?" I asked softly, running my fingers through Derek's hair.

He didn't answer right away. Instead, he bit his lip. It looked for a moment like he was going to tear up. "I didn't want to love you," he admitted finally. "You were always Scott's annoying sidekick. I had quite a bit of fun pushing you around, actually. For a while, you were the person in my way. But then you became all I could think about. When we started hooking up, I half hoped it would convince Scott to join my pack. But I started to fall for you and I felt guilty."

He wouldn't look into my eyes. "Your reason is much nobler than mine," I told him. "I really wanted to lose my virginity to a werewolf."

Derek looked back at me. "Wait a second… You were…"

"Yep. You were my first. And there's a good chance you might be my last," I stared into his eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"You kept your secrets. I kept mine. Who wants to be the 17 year old virgin?" I replied.

"I would have tried to make it more…" Derek started, but I put my finger on his lips to shut him up.

"The only thing I regret about that night is that we didn't kiss as much as I'd have liked," I said.

Derek's lips crashed into mine with enough force to knock the wind out of me. He only stopped kissing me when his knot faded. After that he grabbed a bottle of lube and began rubbing it on my cock. Before I even knew what was happening, Derek was lowering himself onto me. I clawed into his bed. He felt so tight and warm. I had never felt something like this before in my life. I had no words to describe it. When he was finally all the way down my length, he flipped us over so that I was on top. "Just go slowly," he grunted.

I slowly pulled out and thrust back in. I knew I wasn't going to last much longer. It wasn't many more thrusts before I was screaming Derek's name as I plunged myself all the way into him and emptied my load inside of him. I collapsed on top of him, panting as I clung to his sweaty body. "That was amazing…" I managed to say.

"I'll have to get used to it," he said. "But you were the first person I've ever done that with..."

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**Author's Note**: Thank you for reading! Please review!


	5. Chapter 5

It was three days until the full moon. My wolf was constantly stirring and emotions were getting a little tense. To keep me level, the sex was nearly constant and I was getting the feeling that I was starting to wear them out. When we weren't having sex, we were preparing for my first full moon.

Mountain Ash seemed to be the best recourse and Deaton was working on a cage of the stuff so that I wouldn't harm anyone. The cage was going to be in the basement, so the Hunters wouldn't stumble across me. Peter voiced his reservations but Scott agreed to also be there to help protect me.

As I went to bed with Isaac, I found myself growing increasingly anxious. Isaac assured me that it was just the approaching moon and it was something he, too, had felt. He kissed me, as if to punctuate his assurances. We began a familiar routine that continued with his lithe body thrusting into mine. As he time passed, I became aware of the increasing lack of familiarity. He seemed to realize something was up as well because he looked into my eyes, seeming to seek guidance from me. His eyes flashed that beautiful liquid gold color and for a fast moment, so quick I thought I might have hallucinated it, he went full werewolf before he finished inside me.

It felt different. My body wasn't absorbing it like it normally did and as he pulled out and laid next to me, the realization hit us at the same time. He didn't knot me. We both ran out into the hallway screaming for Derek and Peter. They bolted out of their rooms looking somewhat startled. "What is it?" Peter asked.

"I didn't knot," Isaac told them. There was a hint of worry in his voice.

"What do you mean?" Derek looked confused.

Isaac flushed a furious red, not wanting to have to explain it. "I mean we were… you know… and right when I was about to… you know… it just happened. I didn't knot."

I found it sort of adorable that even though we had been fucking every single day for over a year, he still felt sort of embarrassed when he discussed it in front of the others.

The Hales exchanged a look. "He's not the Mate…" Peter said quietly after a moment. "Your body has either already chosen, or ruled him out."

"Well… which is it?" I asked. It was now official. I was destined for a Hale. But which one? I had loved Derek for so long. And though my love for Peter was new, it was intense.

Derek shrugged. "There's only one way to find out…"

"Do you mind?" Peter asked me.

I shook my head. He dropped trou right there, turned me around and entered me. He made a noise of disgust as he felt his cock move against Isaac's semen. I didn't realize he wanted to fuck me right then and there.

"Can you not do this in front of me?" Derek asked with an edge to his voice. "What if he hasn't chosen and you still knot while standing. Do you know how painful that will be for him?"

Derek had a point. I didn't want him to see this either. Peter withdrew from me. For a moment I felt vacant and uncomfortable. "We'll be in my room for a while."

It was only a matter of moments before we were on his bed, his tongue invading my mouth as he desperately thrust into me. I held his body close to mine as he drove himself into me. This went on for an hour before he expanded inside me and began filling me with his cum. I felt absolutely sore as his knot tied us together.

"So does this mean you're my Mate?" I asked.

Peter gave me a sad sort of smile. "It means that I might be. If Derek can still knot you then the answer is not yet."

"Do you want me to be your mate?" he asked. I tensed at his question, eliciting a squeal of pain from me and a moan of pleasure from him.

I didn't answer immediately, choosing my wording carefully. After his beautiful blue eyes began to show a little worry, I forced myself to respond. "I do, but it's not that easy for me. No matter who it ends up being, I'm going to get everything I want… and lose something very important."

Peter's expression was difficult to read. "Will you be happy if it isn't Derek?" he probed.

I forced a smile. "Derek holds a… significant place in my heart, Peter… Can you appreciate that?"

Peter kissed me. "I understand."

As we laid there together, Peter stroked me, varying the pace wildly and stopping when he could sense that I was close to climax. This went on for an hour. I cried out in frustration as he pinned my hands over my head, keeping me from giving myself the completion I craved. He enjoyed playing this little game and despite my growing desire to cum, I was enjoying the lack of control any my wolf was enjoying his dominance. However, as his knot faded and he emptied the last of himself into me he decided to give me what I wanted. I screamed out his name as the intensity of the orgasm took me by surprise. I shot all over us. Peter licked some off my chest and wiped the rest on a dirty shirt. When he pulled out of me, he rolled us over so that I was laying on top of him. "Alright… go forth and see if you have a Mate…" he slapped my ass playfully.

"I'm going to need a moment before I'm even able to stand after that," I told him. I could already feel my accelerated werewolf healing kicking in. I kissed along his shoulder and scooted down so I could rest my head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around me and leaned up, kissing the top of my head. After a few more minutes passed, he sighed.

"You really should go to Derek. If I know him, he's probably pacing in his room waiting on you," he said.

"You're right," I responded and peeled myself away from him, leaving a brief kiss on his lips before heading into Derek's room where, sure enough, he was pacing.

He pulled me tightly to him, not even bothering to complain about how I smelled like Peter. He kissed me deeply, though it was as if he was never going to kiss me again. When the kiss broke, he whispered "I want this one to count."

"Don't talk like that," I ordered.

"Did you feel anything different with him?" he asked.

"No," I responded and he heaved a sigh of relief. "The connection wasn't made. He wasn't chosen."

"But he _did_ knot," I added.

"It doesn't matter," Derek replied. "It just means that he hasn't been ruled out. We have time."

He laid me gently on his bed. There was no way to describe what happened next other than "making love." Derek was always very gentle with me, sometimes more than I cared for. But this time, his gentleness was accompanied by a passion that was tangible. Every motion seemed to be perfectly choreographed to bring me optimal pleasure. Tears began to form in my eyes. "Am I hurting you?" he asked, wiping away a tear that spilled out of my eye and began travelling down my cheek.

I shook my head. It wasn't easy to answer that question. Physically, the answer was no. All of this felt amazing. But what if I _did_ go to Peter. Even at his most romantic… he wasn't like this. This was something that only Derek could do. As soon as his knot tied us, he kissed my neck. I felt relieved. For a little bit longer, I could travel through this limbo. I didn't have to belong to one or the other. For a little bit longer, I could be _theirs_.

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**Author's Note: **Sorry it's so short! I promise I'll update again soon! Next chapter is where we'll finally learn who Stiles' Mate will be. Please review!


	6. Chapter 6

The full moon was only hours away. Deaton finished installing the cage in the Hale basement. Scott, Peter, and Derek were ready to stand guard inside; Isaac was patrolling the perimeter of the house. I didn't want to get in the cage. It looked small.

Once I was finally inside, Derek shut it behind me. "I'm going to give you the same advice I gave the others on their first full moon. Think of something to keep your human side most present. A memory, an emotion… just something that can keep you in control and concentrate on it as much as you can. The wolf inside you will fight for dominance. If you let the wolf take control… well, try not to let the wolf take control."

I pressed my face between the bars of the cage and sighed dramatically. "What do you use?" I wasn't sure if that was a personal question or not. Either way, I asked it.

Derek paced around the cage searching for points of weakness in its structure. "For years it was anger… but I don't have to rely on that anymore."

"What do you concentrate on now?"

His eyes continued scanning the cage as he circled it a second time. "You."

I half expected Peter to scoff, but he didn't so I posed the question to him as well. He thought for several long moments before replying, "Sex." I grinned as he winked at me. Scott scrunched up his nose, presumably at the visual of me and Peter. "Sex during a full moon… there's nothing like it."

"It hurts more," I muttered.

"Seriously guys?" Scott moaned. "You don't hear me saying shit like that about Allison…"

I shot him a dirty look. "Do you want me to recite to you the hours of Allison commentary I got when you first met her?"

Scott stiffened. "You said you'd never…"

I raised my eyebrow. "I also said I'd never become a werewolf. Obviously I say a lot of shit."

Peter chuckled. This is what I loved about Scott. It had been a while since he and I had been around one another, and we still joked as if no time had passed.

We all continued making small talk as it got darker and darker. I could feel the pull of the moon. The wolf fought hard against me. I squeezed the bars with newfound strength. I looked out the tiny window. As the light of the moon touched my face, I felt my pulse skyrocket. My claws extended and an inhuman noise escaped my lips. Suddenly the men in front of me weren't my best friend and the two men I loved. They were flesh and meat. My fangs made it hard to close my mouth all the way and I fought against my barrier snapping at them with such ferocity they all backed up slightly. My head was filled with visions of me rending the meat from their bones and I wanted nothing more than to feel that sensation. "Concentrate," Derek yelled over my howling.

"This isn't you, Stiles!" Peter added. "Don't let the wolf win."

_Hunger. Hungrier than I had ever been before in my life. Three meals standing in front of me. Only wood separating us. I was strong. I was stronger than I had ever been before in my life. It was just wood. Then I could feast. They might struggle against me… but their throats. So vulnerable. Scott would be easiest. Omega. No Pack. Weak. The wood crumbled so easily in my grip. One bar. Two. Three. There was enough for me to escape. They smelled of fear and worry. I tried to crawl out. I couldn't. I screamed in rage, swatting my clawed hand at them._

"Stiles… concentrate. Don't let it control you. You are stronger than it… I know you are!" Derek urged, approaching the cage.

_The prey approaches the slaughter… I have one try. I make it count. Before I know it, I have him. I'm holding him against the cage, my claws poised at his neck, ready to rip his throat out. I can hear the blood pounding through his system. He shifts. I feel his Alpha influence. The moon feels stronger. I press my claws into his skin. The crimson drips down him. He whimpers. He's pathetic._

"Please!" Peter begged. "That's Derek! You love him. Damn it, Stiles! You have to focus!"

_He shivers as I lick the blood. It tastes like metal. I want to tear into him, but I also want to savor him. He struggles to breathe._

"I love you, Stiles," he pants.

_I freeze. He grips my arm, accepting his fate, his final words ringing in my ears. I see flashes in my head… everything the prey has been through with me. The anger abates. I'm slipping. Further back. He's fighting me. I can't maintain the control…_

"Derek…" My voice doesn't sound human. Carefully I remove my hand and he turns around. I see the gashes in his neck. My claws retract. I can feel myself returning human. My strength is ebbing and I feel weak. I'm exhausted. I fall to my knees inside the cage, barely able to stand. Scott moves, as if to rush to my side but Peter puts his arm out, stopping him.

"Wait. We need to be sure he's in control first. Derek, back away," he ordered.

"I'm okay, Peter," I mumble. Speaking feels like too much. I really just want to sleep. The lights around me are fading.

"What made you pull out of? What did you think about?" Scott asked.

I try to answer him, but I'm out before I can.

line break

I wake up the next morning, still in the cage. Peter, Derek, and Scott are all sitting against the wall, sleeping in what looks like very uncomfortable positions. I try to get out of the cage through the hole I created last night but find that I can't. It feels like there's an invisible brick wall I'm hitting.

"Guys!" I call. "Wake up…"

Peter is the first to stir, ever the light sleeper. Scott is still snoring, so is Derek. Quietly, Peter gets up and opens the cage, breaking the line of Mountain Ash that kept me locked in. "Let's go upstairs…" he whispers and quietly, we head up to his room.

"Not bad for your first full moon," Peter tells me once we're secluded. "For a moment there, I thought Derek was a goner… but you pulled through."

"I tried concentrating… from the get go… but my wolf just… I couldn't rein it in," I said. Everything I'd done before I retook control seemed foggy in my mind's eye.

"The important thing is that you did," he said, pulling me close to him, grazing his lips across my forehead. "In time, you'll learn to view your wolf as an extension of you and be one with it. Derek and I will teach you."

My lust was back and I wasn't satisfied with just a kiss. I pressed my body against his, but it didn't feel the same since we both had clothes on, something I was incredibly unaccustomed to. "Can we talk about that stuff later?" I asked. "Right now… I really just want you to fuck me."

Peter grinned, pulling off his clothes as I removed mine. Seconds later, I was on my back with him pushing into me. I gripped his shoulders, enjoying the feeling of myself expanding to accommodate him. My wolf anatomy was making it even more enjoyable. He gave several powerful thrusts before withdrawing, flipping me over, and entering me again. I attributed it to the residual effects of the moon, but I kept urging him faster… harder… before long, we were both upright on his bed, him thrusting up into me with speed and force I had never known before. I began to meet him on his thrusts, adding to the intensity for us both. His hands roamed me as he embraced my torso. I grabbed his hips, urging him further into me when he started expanding. His knot tied us together in what felt like a pretty uncomfortable position to be locked in. However, as the first of his seed poured into me, I felt the world fade away. Nothing else existed except me and him. I saw flashes of things I didn't understand. Strange symbols. These symbols morphed turning into two wolves, one larger than the other. They chased each other playfully. When the smaller one caught up to the large one, they laid down together, the small one nuzzling under the larger one's snout. These creatures looked majestic as I watched them. I wanted to run towards them, but there was no need because they soon approached us, fearlessly. I reached out to them.

"Peter… do you see this?" I asked as the larger wolf affectionately licked my face.

"Yeah," he whispered. The wolves circled around us for a moment before stopping. The beast blinked. Those eyes… I'd stared into those eyes enough to recognize them. They were Peter's. And the smaller wolf… that was me. They walked away from us. I called after them and they listened, turning around, they galloped toward us. I felt my adrenaline pulse as it looked like the wolf was going to trample me but it didn't, instead it disappeared inside me. The world came crashing back into focus as I felt a sharp pain along my shoulder and neck. I let out a howl… a wolf's howl as I realize Peter had bitten me. That wasn't just any bite. That bite sent shivers through me. As his teeth left my skin, I bowed forward, submissively... instinctively…

I had both claimed and been claimed. I was going to give birth to and help raise the next generation of Hale werewolves. Peter was my Alpha and my Mate.

* * *

**Author's Note**: That came a lot quicker than you expected, didn't it? The next chapter will be much longer as we see the aftermath of the Mate selection and the effect it has on the Hale Pack. Please review.


	7. Chapter 7

The Mating was successful and I was now with young. My sanity teetered on the brink nearly constantly now. The house was so empty without Derek. I spent a lot of time in his room, replaying our last conversation in my head.

"I just needed a little more time! It's not fair… I should have been your Mate!" he yelled.

I only cried. He was right. Derek had been the thing that tied me to my humanity the night of the Full Moon. The thought of losing him snapped me back in control. He threw clothes into a small backpack. "Where are you going?" I asked.

"Anywhere but here…" he growled.

"Please… stay… You're the best bet to keep my child safe…" I pleaded.

He didn't even look in my direction. "That _thing_ inside you is Peter's responsibility, not mine. So that's not good enough."

"Derek, you know I don't want you to leave. I shouldn't even have to say it!"

"Stiles… think about what you're asking me to do…" he said. "You're asking me to stay here… watch you spend your life with Peter and sit idly along the sidelines… that's not who I am. I can't do that."

"Derek…" I started, not sure how to finish the sentence. He approached me and kissed me. It was aggressive, probing, desperate, sad. Tears were streaming down his eyes as he pulled away.

"Whatever happens from here… I need you to know that I love you," he said before walking out.

That was four months ago.

Time carried on. I refused to let anyone but myself into his room. His bed was starting to smell more like me than him, but his room was now my personal sanctuary. My altar to him. I knew it bothered Peter but I didn't care.

Deaton said I was due in two months, that my pregnancy was following a hybrid between wolf and human gestation. Peter and I had two names in mind. Laura Elizabeth if the child was female, and if the child turned out to be a male, Everett. Peter wanted "Peter Jr" but I vetoed that.

* * *

We learned it was a boy. Everett Hale. We created a nursery for him. I still missed Derek. I wondered how all of this would be different if it were his kid inside me. I never considered myself a religious person, but at times I even found myself praying that wherever Derek was, he was safe. That he knew that I missed him and thought about him every day. That I wanted to be his Mate more than anything. That I regretted every time I didn't take an opportunity to tell him how much he meant to me.

* * *

Childbirth was excruciating. My sympathy and respect for women skyrocketed. Pain killers didn't work because my adrenaline and my enhanced healing caused me to metabolize it much faster. Peter was dutiful as a Mate, helping me through the process. It took six hours. Six hours of searing pain. But finally, my child… He was so beautiful. Peter was so enchanted by him. "This is our son…" he kept whispering that night.

My wolf's instinct to protect him was strong. Even when Scott and Isaac held him, I found that my eyes never left my child. My wolf bubbled just below the surface, ready to kill at a moment's notice.

Two weeks after Everett was born, a card arrived in the mail. The front had what looked like a stock image of a wolf cub. The inside held a hand-written note from Derek.

_Stiles,_

_Congratulations on your son. I know he will grow up to be a strong wolf. I miss you._

_With love,_

_Derek _

The envelope had no return address. Of course Derek wouldn't make it easy. I pressed the card to my chest. It smelled of him. I displayed it on the dresser in his room. I found it easier to be angry at him, particularly for that "I miss you" part. Him missing me was entirely his doing. Nobody asked him to leave. Quite the opposite. I asked him to stay. I begged.

* * *

As time went on, it was easy to fall into a routine. Taking care of Everett helped with that. I loved that child with my entire heart, and Peter was a great dad. He helped with the labor involved in raising a newborn child. However, Derek's absence in all of this was constantly staring me in the face. I did my best to act like I wasn't bothered by it… that I didn't want him back more than I wanted my own life sometimes… that I was happy. I just wasn't a very gifted actor.

One night after Everett was sound asleep, Peter began touching me in the ways he knew excited me most. I went through the motions… the kissing, caressing, but he could tell that my heart really wasn't in it. "What's wrong?" he asked softly, rubbing my chest.

I wanted to open the flood gate, to tell him of the shrine I had created in Derek's room. To tell him that I wanted Derek back in my life. To tell him how depressed I was, but I knew it would break his heart to hear that even after we were tied together as Mates, I yearned for Derek. But I had to answer him. "I miss my dad…" I said softly. It wasn't exactly a lie. I did miss him terribly.

"I understand," Peter replied. "Would you like to see him?"

I hadn't even considered that to be in the realm of possibility. After all, he was under the impression I had run away and now almost three years had passed. I nodded. Perhaps establishing contact with my dad would help keep my mind of Derek.

Getting Peter to agree to me outing myself as a werewolf… that was another story entirely. But I was tired of lying to him. I lied to my father more times than I could count to help cover up the whole werewolf thing. Now his son was a werewolf and he had a grandson who was full-blooded werewolf. He deserved to know.

Scott helped us plan it. He made it a point to be nearby and since Mrs. McCall knew as well, she was on speed dial for just in case. We agreed that it should happen while he was at home, in an environment most comfortable.

My pulse was racing. I held little Everett in my arms. Peter was nearby listening closely. Everett cackled, reaching toward my face. I smiled at him and kissed his forehead. "Grandpa is going to think you're the most adorable wittle baby in the whole world," I told him, stroking his cheek with my finger. He giggled. I listened for my cue.

"What's this all about?" Dad asked as Scott sat him down.

"I have a bit of a surprise for you," Scott replied.

"What kind of surprise?" Dad probed.

Scott hesitated. "It's a good surprise. But there are some parts that might be a bit weird. It's really important that you don't freak out…"

"You're starting to worry me, McCall…"

"Just promise me that you'll keep your cool!"

Dad remained silent for a few moments before agreeing. I heard Scott whisper "You can come in…"

I slowly turned the door knob. It felt bizarre to be walking into this house again. I never thought I ever would. Everett was playing with my index finger, gnawing on it every few seconds. I closed the door behind me and walked into view of the living room where they were seated. Dad looked like he'd seen a ghost. "Hi, Dad," I offered meekly. "I wanted to introduce you to someone…"

He rushed toward me, kissing me on my forehead in the same manner I always kissed Everett. I could smell the tears that escaped his eyes. "I was so worried about you…" he whispered. Finally he turned his attention to the bundle of joy in my arms. Everett smiled up at his grandfather. He looked a lot like me. "And who is this?" Dad asked, no doubt seeing the resemblance.

"This is your grandson… Everett," I replied softly.

"Everett Stilinski… nice to meet you! May I?" he asked, motioning to hold him. My wolf stirred, its instinct to protect ever strong. I gently placed my son in his arms. Dad bounced him slightly, grinning from ear to ear. "Did you leave because you got someone pregnant?"

"No…" I said. "And his name isn't Everett Stilinski. It's Everett Hale. Dad, there's a lot you need to know."

He looked at me puzzled at why I wouldn't pass my surname down to my son. "Why Hale? Is he not yours?"

"Oh… he's definitely mine," I replied. "Perhaps you should sit down."

When Dad was safely seated, his eyes still trained on the giggling child in his arms, I started talking. I told him that I had changed. "What kind of change?" he asked. I shot Scott a significant look. He carefully took Everett into his own arms, not wanting to risk the child's safety in case my dad went into shock when I showed him.

I shifted. Just for a few seconds, so that he could see me in my wolf form, before I shifted back. He sat there stunned. "The process was long. I didn't want to worry you so I told you I ran away. I can't explain it all because even I don't understand most of it… but the process of changing made me able to… give birth."

He looked completely lost. "The end result was Everett?"

I nodded.

He sighed, taking Everett back into his arms. "I have a feeling that this will be easier if I just go along with it. He looks just like you did when you were a baby." After a few minutes, he asked. "So I'm guessing the Hale part comes from Derek, right?"

I winced. "Not Derek. His uncle. Peter."

"Can I meet him?"

I felt my adrenaline start pumping. I could hear Peter approaching. I had no idea what he would say when he saw that my child's father was only slightly younger than him.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Thank you for reading! Please review!


	8. Chapter 8

My wolf swelled with pride as Peter entered the house. Everett was excited to see his dad and giggled melodically. I could see the slight wrinkles form around my father's eyes. I had seen those wrinkles many times before. They signified that he was restraining emotion… usually anger. His voice was terse, cutting through the awkwardness of the moment in a way that only a true Stilinski was capable of. "So you're my son's… baby daddy?"

Scott and I weren't sure whether or not to laugh at the oddity of that phrase coming out of my dad's mouth. I kept my eyes trained on Peter, watching how he reacted. "Stiles is my Mate," he said, placing an affectionate hand on my back. "And Everett is our child, yes…"

Dad looked down at his grandson. "I always thought that if you did end up with a guy… it'd be Derek," he said. I tensed. There was an ache in my chest. Even my Dad knew that I was meant for Derek… the same one who I had once tried to convince I was gay and he didn't believe me.

Peter handled the comment in stride. "It's sometimes different for our kind," he explained, his voice soft, unthreatening. "The selection gets made based on who is most capable of rearing the strongest young."

Dad nodded. "My son isn't a werebaby factory, Mr. Hale," his voice was slightly menacing. My wolf had a moment of panic. "Do you love him?"

Peter nodded. "Yes. I do."

"I'm sure you're aware that I'm the Sheriff. So I'm sure you're also aware of the arsenal at my disposal. I need you to know that I will not hesitate to use it on you if you hurt my little boy," Dad told him, staring Peter in the eyes. Though the speech was somewhat a cliché, I had to admire my dad for having the sheer gall to threaten the life of a Werewolf on my behalf no less.

Dad got up and handed Everett to Peter and pulled me tightly toward him. I embraced him. "I love you, Stiles," he whispered in my ear.

"I love you too, Dad," I replied.

"Please don't go away again…" he begged.

"I won't," I promised.

When we separated, I could see tears in his eyes again. He wiped them away. "I expect to see that little boy fairly often. I intend to spoil him."

I smiled. "Of course," Peter said.

* * *

Having my dad back in my life helped me to pretend not to miss Derek as much. Peter continued being romantic. As the full moon approached and our sex drive was at its highest. I was apparently giving off pheromones which told Peter that once again, I was fertile. I wanted more kids with Peter, but I wanted to make sure that Everett was older before we had another, so he agreed to use protection since there wasn't really a pill I could take.

It felt odd. Never before had I used a condom and I had to say, I wasn't a fan. It didn't have the same feel. Peter, however, did his best to compensate and made the sex feel halfway decent. He had to be careful though not to knot me because we weren't sure that the condom could hold that much. It only took a few strokes of his hand and he sprayed a human amount of cum onto my stomach and took me into his mouth. His tongue seemed to know exactly what I need from him. My hands stretched down to his hair, pushing him further onto my dick. He didn't gag, which impressed me quite a bit. I bucked up into his mouth, shooting down his throat.

I closed my eyes, basking in the flood of endorphins released by my climax. Peter laid beside me. "I don't think our lives could get any more perfect… do you?" he asked.

I could think of one way. I made an ambiguous noise in response, hoping he would drop it. He didn't.

"We have a pack, a beautiful son, your dad is now involved in your life… what more could we want, right?"

"Derek." I replied, finally unable to contain the months-worth of feelings I had on the matter.

"Our lives aren't perfect because Derek's not here. He isn't going to see Everett's first steps, hear his first words… he doesn't even know what Everett looks like. He doesn't know that I've wished for his return every single day since he left. I've ran the entire gamut of emotions when it comes to him!" I erupted, tears streaming down my face as I sat up.

Peter sighed, pulling me into his arms. "I miss him too. He was my nephew, after all…"

"It isn't the same! I thought that when the Mate was selected, I was supposed to be tied to one of you… become devoted to just one of you…" I sobbed.

"Do you feel tied to me?" he asked.

I nodded. "But I feel like half of me is missing and I have tried so hard to feel otherwise… for your sake… and for Everett's. But no matter what I do, I can't help but notice the void where Derek should be. There are times when I think I should have went upstairs with Derek that morning…"

"You leaving upstairs with me is the reason we have Everett," Peter replied solemnly. "Are you saying you regret that?"

Before I could stop myself, I had shifted and my claws had extended and I was pressing them into his chest, right above his heart. Blood spilled down his torso. I spoke with a lethal growl. "Never again use my son as a weapon against me."

As an Alpha, Peter was much stronger than me. He grabbed my wrist, squeezing it hard. Bones snapped and pain seared through my arm. He pulled my claws out of his chest. His Alpha influence forced me to shift back to my human form and fall into a submissive position. "I am trying to be the best Mate I can for you."

"Doesn't the fact that you have to try show you that there's something wrong?" I countered.

"Were you not there? Did you not see what I saw?" he asked, releasing my arm. The bones began to heal almost immediately.

I grew more frustrated. "Knowing what we felt for each other… tell me that you are not surprised that he didn't end up as my Mate?" I demanded.

He stared into my eyes. "_I _was the better Alpha. Your wolf chose _me_."

"You didn't answer my question."

"I think it makes perfect sense that I ended up as your Mate," he said.

My jaw dropped. "I think I've been around werewolves long enough to know that lying is a dumb thing to do."

"I thought that your love and devotion to Derek might sway your wolf. Obviously I was wrong!" he countered.

My wolf was in turmoil. It didn't want me to fight with Peter. He may have been my Mate, but Peter was also my Alpha. As his Mate, I enjoyed a slightly higher position in the Pack structure, but he still outranked me. "None of this arguing is going to bring Derek back to us… so why don't we just drop it," I suggested, wanting to appease the wolf.

Everett began crying, creating the perfect opportunity for me to exit the conversation. I went into my old room, which was now painted a bright blue. There were stars and a moon painted in bright yellow on the ceiling. I had never known that Isaac was artistic until he volunteered to decorate Everett's room. I had also never placed much stock in that whole "maternal intuition" thing until I had Everett. I knew exactly what that cry meant. He was hungry. I picked him up, kissing him gently on his forehead. It didn't take me long to find his pacifier and stop his screaming.

I went down to the kitchen and prepared a bottle for him. When it was done, he drank from it readily. I heard a noise outside and froze. The instinct to protect Everett became my main focus. I looked out the window, trying to see if there were any dangers outside. Isaac joined us in the kitchen, startling me. "I heard your argument with Peter," he told me. "I wanted to make sure you and the baby were alright."

"We're fine," I assured him. "Peter would never really harm us."

"If it helps you not to feel crazy… I was surprised it was Peter, too," he offered. It didn't help, but I appreciated his input.

"Am I selfish for wanting Derek too?" I asked.

Isaac shrugged. "You can't really help what you feel, ya know? You love him. But you can't really be mad at him for leaving, Stiles. I could never watch the person I love be with someone else. I would rather kill myself."

"I just have been wracking my head this entire time trying to figure out why it was Peter," I confessed.

"Do you love Peter?" he asked.

"I think so… yeah," I responded. "My wolf is absolutely obsessed with him."

He cocked his head to the side, studying me as I bounced Everett ever-so-slightly. "The only time I ever felt separate from my Wolf was when I was still part of the Pack Mate tie. Yet you _always_ refer to your wolf like it's a completely separate entity."

"That's what it feels like. It always has," I replied. "Maybe it's different for me because I have a Mate?"

Isaac shook his head. "Everything I've heard about mates… it consumes you. All of you. Like you literally cannot imagine life without that person. The thought of it is physically painful. Do you feel that way about Peter?"

I took a moment to reflect. I would feel awful if something happened to Peter. Everett didn't deserve to grow up without Peter in his life. Yet I could carry on. I would have to… for nobody less than the infant in my arms.

"Hmmm," Isaac said, taking my silence for an answer.

* * *

**Author's Note: **So as some of you may have already guessed... the nature of the mating wasn't exactly on the up-and-up. In the next chapter we'll learn where Derek went. And why.


	9. Chapter 9

I wasn't sure what frustrated me more: Peter's insistence on acting like the argument never happened, or the Full Moon's pull. I was getting much better at remaining in control. Usually, we had sex so that it would keep my mind off the more homicidal tendencies. Tonight's Full Moon was not really all that different.

Since I was no longer emitting the fertility pheromone, we were able to do so without a condom. Tonight wasn't tender. It reminded me more of the Peter I dealt with before almost dying. But I wanted it like that, which frustrated me even further.

When he entered me, I felt his Alpha influence flood over me, forcing me to shift, making control even more difficult. I bowed forward as he thrust into me from behind. I looked back for a moment to see that he was in his wolf form, too. I remembered a point in time when I would have found that absolutely terrifying, but my Wolf was much more in control at the moment and submitted my body to him. It was painful. Not as painful as childbirth was, but it didn't feel nearly as pleasurable as I had become accustomed to. This was also the first time he had ever shifted while fucking me and I was afraid. I didn't know what to expect. But my wolf seemed to trust his.

It went on for hours. My entire body was sore and my mind began wandering. I tried to imagine it was Derek, but it didn't work because Derek would never take me in this manner. Even under the affliction of the Full Moon, Derek was always gentle and kind. He always wanted to ensure that I was satisfied. Even when I asked him to be rough, he was still caring.

At long last, I felt him finish inside me. There was no knotting, so he pulled out, collapsing beside me back in human form. I shifted back too and my body began the process of healing from the roughness of the sex. Both of us fell asleep.

As dawn was breaking, my wolf stirred me from my slumber. There was an intruder on the property… a werewolf. I rushed to the nursery. Everett was okay. I jump down the stairs, my wolf calculating the exact angle I need to have my legs when I land to remain on my feet. Moments later I'm out the door. I sniff the air. The flowers blooming cause too much interference. I snarl in my frustration, shifting immediately. The need to hunt this intruder and kill them in order to protect Everett is clouding my thoughts.

"Show yourself!" I growl, knowing I can be heard. I scan the woods surrounding the house. After a few minutes, Derek steps out from behind a tree. Immediately I shift back. "D-Derek!"

I run toward him, tackling him to the ground in my embrace. I inhale his scent, allowing it to intoxicate me. My wolf is distrustful of him and urges me away, but I fight it off. He wraps his arms around me. "I've missed you so much," he whispers in my ear. In his arms, I feel complete.

"Where have you been?" I sobbed, overcome by my emotions for him.

"I joined a new pack," he replied. "But they were all killed by Hunters."

I gasped, knowing the implications of this. "But we've got peace with the Argents," I said softly.

"There are more than just Argents out there," he responded. "I had to escape. I had to come and make sure you were okay."

I laid my head on his chest. "I am now."

"Well… the Prodigal Nephew!" Peter announced, stepping onto the porch. Isaac followed soon, holding Everett. I climbed off of Derek and helped pull him to his feet, brushing the bits of leaves and dirt off of his clothing. We returned to the porch and Peter asked, "What brings you back?"

"I would like to rejoin the pack," Derek answered.

"You know that's complicated, right?" Peter replied.

Derek closed his eyes, his head dropping at the realization. The New Moon ritual. "He's blood related to you, though… shouldn't that be fine?" I asked, somewhat sickened by the idea of them performing the ritual.

"I renounced all ties to this pack. The ritual is the only way to re-establish the connection," Derek explained. "But the ritual _can_ be performed by the Alpha's Mate."

Peter snarled. "You come crawling back, asking to rejoin the pack as a pretense for fucking my Mate…"

"I came back to help you! There are Hunters coming… worse than Gerard," Derek retorted. "We're stronger as a pack. You know that. And unless you want to take me into the woods and fuck me yourself… Stiles is the best bet." The relationship between the Hale men was dysfunctional at best… but even I doubted that Peter would take it to that level.

His face was unreadable. After several long moments, he agreed to let me perform the ritual. I had to restrain my excitement. Suddenly I felt Peter's Alpha influence consume me and I was forced to my knees. "When the time comes, you are only permitted do what is necessary to perform the ritual." I knew what that meant. No kissing… no extras… just business. "And until then, do not have sex with him. Do you understand?

Several tears fell down my cheek. I nodded. I felt the influence lift, permitting me to stand again. Derek tried to give me a reassuring smile. I didn't feel reassured. I felt angry… angry that Peter would be so cruel.

"Now that I can have some peace of mind… I need to take a short trip. I'll be back in a day or two," he said. He forcefully pulled me to him, kissing me in the most undignified and probing way, putting on a show for Derek. After the kiss was done, I felt used.

I took Everett out of Isaac's arms and held him close, grateful he was too young to realize what awful people his parents were. Isaac hugged Derek tightly. "I missed you," he whispered.

"I missed you too," Derek replied. "Thank you for being here for Stiles."

"No matter what, you'll always be _my_ Alpha," Isaac said. I had a brief moment of fantasy where I imagined what our pack would look like if Derek had been the one I'd chosen. We'd have the fiercely loyal Isaac and most likely Scott as well. Peter said he would stay and help protect us had the cards fallen in that manner. We would have been a much stronger unit. I had to wonder yet again… _why_ was Peter the one my Wolf chose?

It was beginning to get stiflingly hot outside so we all retreated inward, basking in the air conditioner. Isaac agreed to watch Everett so that Derek and I could catch up. We weren't allowed to have sex, but holding hands and kissing were still very much on the table. I led Derek to his room, showing him the condition I had kept it in. I could tell he was touched.

I remembered our last time being in this room… my wolf was showing it to me on repeat, trying to distance me from Derek. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block it out. "Are you alright?" Derek asked, caressing the side of my face.

"Yeah," I said softly.

"Did you really just try to lie to me?" he chuckled, kissing my neck. He pulled me down onto the bed. "Seriously… what's wrong?"

I told him everything. My strange relationship with my wolf, my suspicions about the Mating, the pain I felt the entire time Derek was gone. When I was done, he remained silent. "I feel like I'm going crazy."

"But you feel the bond you have with Peter," Derek clarified, sounding as if he were trying to make sense of everything.

"I feel the bond my wolf has with him... he's my son's father. And I _did_ love him before the Mating. I just still love you. I never _stopped_ loving you," I sighed.

"I won't stop loving you, Stiles… but you're Peter's Mate. Even scenting you is an offense that could get me killed. I'm not an Alpha anymore. Until the ritual, I'm an Omega. I'm at my weakest. He would rip me to shreds," Derek said.

"So we've become the star-crossed lovers…"

"There's no such thing as star-crossed lovers," he replied.

"There's no such thing as werewolves," I countered.

He laughed. "We certainly know how to make a mess for ourselves don't we."

"I don't see how it's funny!"

"Lighten up, Stiles," he chided. "If I don't laugh about it, I'll be a wreck. I'm sorry I didn't turn you myself. I don't think you'll ever know how much I regret that decision."

"My dad used to have a phrase: Wish in one hand and shit in the other… see which one fills up faster," I mused.

"Will you forgive me?" he asked softly.

"For what?"

"For ever making you doubt that I love—"

I cut him off. "Stop. You're starting to sound like we're in some stupid movie. If this is going to be bearable for us… we need to learn how to be friends."

"You know we can't do that…" he protested.

"Don't be such a Sourwolf."

* * *

**Author's Note**: I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I might not update for a couple of days due to some personal stuff but I'll respond to any and all reviews I get on this chapter (so long as the response won't spoil anything I have planned for the future.)


	10. Chapter 10

The time until Peter returned was passed with Derek, Isaac and me taking care of Everett. I swooned the first time I walked into Everett's nursery to change him only to find that Derek had already done it and was rocking him to sleep. I stood in the doorway watching him, fully aware that he knew I was spying. Though I was enthralled by the sight, my wolf was seething. The urge to rip out Derek's throat was almost palpable and I had a hard time restraining it.

Once Everett was dozing, Derek gently laid him back in his crib, joining me in the hallway. "Your son is beautiful," he whispered, hugging me from behind.

"Peter is really good with him. I was actually surprised. Sometimes he even sits and reads to Everett before we put him down for bed," I told him.

"And your dad?" he asked.

I chuckled. "Dad thinks the universe literally revolves around that boy."

"I wish he were my kid," Derek said softly.

"You can't say things like that if we're trying to be friends," I scolded. "This isn't easy for me."

He sighed, turning me around to face him and kissing me deeply. "I never actually agreed to that. Once I'm a part of the Pack, I'm going to challenge him for Alpha. Then I'll have mating rights to you, too."

I broke away from him, shaking my head. "I'm not some trophy you two can compete for!" I growled angrily. "Besides, you being Alpha doesn't mean that I'm going to magically stop being his Mate. Don't forget… we never thought we'd ever see you again when you ran away. We made plans for our future… his and mine. I was miserable without you, yes… but that doesn't mean I'm just going to throw away everything I've gone through with him!"

"He used an Alpha order to keep us from being together!" Derek retorted. "And did you forget about the times when he would literally just walk up behind you and start fucking you?"

"No," I replied. "I haven't forgotten that. But you haven't been here to see how different he is. He really loves me. He's kind, thoughtful. And he's been really patient with me, especially during the depression that _you_ caused. Of the two of you, he's the only one who really has a claim to my womb… and when I asked to hold off on another kid, he did, despite the fact that he really wants another one. Sure, he was a dick when you first came back… but he saw you as a threat to everything we've built… and he was right! You said yourself that even Scenting me could get you killed…"

Having heard us arguing, Isaac came upstairs, visibly angry. "Will you two stop arguing! This is our Pack you're talking about… this isn't another episode of Desperate Housewolves of Beacon Hills! You two love each other! We all get it! But this kind of thing doesn't just affect you guys… it affects us all. And it _really_ affects the little boy in that room."

"Isaac, I'm sorry—," Derek started.

"Don't, Derek!" Isaac cut him off. "I understand exactly why Peter gave him that order! You can't come in here after all this time and expect things to be just as if you never left. You leaving affected us all. I understood exactly why you left, too and I never once held it against you. But it was _your_ decision to come back! You knew what you'd return to don't you dare try to disguise your home-wrecking as some forbidden love!"

I stood there, stunned by Isaac's outburst. Derek was shocked too. That was one thing I respected about Isaac: he always called things as he saw them.

After he had a moment of awkward silence in which to calm down, Isaac continued. "If you want to do something useful, then you can either help us solve Stiles' wolf problem or fill us in on the hunters so we can protect our pack and most importantly, Everett. If those two items aren't on your list, then maybe you should leave."

Knowing he was wrong, Derek simply nodded his head. "You're right…" he said softly. "We need to figure out what happened with the Mate thing… and we need to protect ourselves."

* * *

When it came to the Mating, we faced a huge obstacle: Pack Mates were so rare that we couldn't find any information on it. "Google has officially failed us," I groaned after four hours of unsuccessful research.

Isaac took over the search, handing Everett to me. I resumed the game of peek-a-boo Isaac had been playing with him just as Peter came through the door. He looked exhausted, but seemed to perk up when he saw his son and me. "How are my two favorite men?" he asked.

"We're fine," I replied. As he approached, I caught a whiff of something truly foul coming from him. "Ugh… you smell awful. What is that?"

"Believe me when I tell you… you really just do not want to know," he answered. Given the acrid nature of that stench, I decided to trust him on that one. Since it was fairly late, I put Everett to bed before following Peter to bed. He was just stepping into our shower when I shut the door behind me. I stripped my clothes off and got into the shower with him. The steamy water felt good washing over me. He pulled me close kissing me gently before wrapping his arms around me. "I'm sorry about how I acted before I left," he said softly.

"It's alright," I responded.

He separated us, putting his finger under my chin, forcing me to look into his eyes. "No, it's not. I should trust you. You're my Mate." He kissed me on my forehead before pulling me close to him again. I let my head rest against his chest.

"There's something you need to know," I told him. I brought my hand to the back of his neck, allowing my claws to extend and pressed them firmly against his spine, breaking the skin, transferring my memories of the last two days, not holding anything back. When I was done showing him, I removed my hand and looked into his eyes.

He was quiet for a long time. When he finally did speak, his voice was steady and I could sense the effort he was making not to be angry. "Why do you feel the need to research our Mating?" he asked. "I really just want to understand that. Am I that bad of a Mate?" His voice cracked a little and he sounded hurt.

"No… it's not that, Peter," I assured him. "You're fantastic as a Mate and you're amazing with our son. I can't wait until he's older and we can have another. I just want to understand why I'm not content with just you."

"I propose a deal then. Until you have to perform the New Moon Ritual… try to just be happy with me. Then after, if you still want to, I'll help you find the answers you're looking for," he suggested.

I nodded my concurrence and he grabbed the shampoo, working it into my hair. We scrubbed each other from head to toe, kissing and giggling here and there. I allowed myself to be in the moment with him. When we were both clean, we towel-dried each other off and made it over to our bed. I climbed on top of him, nibbling his ear lobes, then pressing my lips down his jaw line and making my way to his chest. I wanted nothing more than to feel him inside me so I allowed my desires to drive me, placing his erect cock at my entrance and slowly lowering myself onto him. Ever since my change was complete, my body made its own lubricant so that cut out at least one step. Once he was fully sheathed within me, I slowly worked my body. My wolf had a difficult time with the concept of me being dominant during sex and soon, I found myself on my back with Peter making long, slow thrusts into me. Our lips only parted so we could breathe.

I was so intoxicated by his scent and my wolf's reaction to our lovemaking that I was caught off guard by the stretching sensation that only meant one thing: his knot had tied our bodies together. The look of embarrassment on his face told me he really hadn't intended on us knotting. "I'm really sorry, Stiles…" he panted, trying to will the knot away, but he and I both knew that only one thing would make it end.

"What if I get pregnant again?" I worried.

"Not every attempt at mating produces young," he told me. "I tried to stop it… I really did."

I ran my fingers through his hair. "It's alright. I feel very close to you right now."

"Well, it doesn't get closer than my knot inside you," Peter joked. I chuckled. Though my mind tried to wander to Derek, I forced myself to obey my promise to Peter and allow it to just be us for now.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Thanks for reading! Please review! The next chapter will have the New Moon Ritual, so there will definitely be some hot Sterek sexy time and some insight into what actually went wrong with the Mating.


	11. Chapter 11

Dad stared at me blankly. He tried to start talking several times, but stopped, lost for words. I didn't blame him. I had just filled him in on the current situation I found myself in. He looked at Everett, raising his eyebrows and sighing. "To be honest, Stiles… I always figured you'd still be a virgin… not trapped in a werewolf love triangle."

I started to agree but caught myself when the reality of what he said hit me. "What do you mean you thought I'd still be a virgin?"

He chuckled. "Don't act so surprised. You were always incredibly awkward…"

I glared. "Alright back to the subject. What do I do?"

"See if the New Moon ritual thing works. If your love for Derek is as strong as you say, maybe that can correct it. Just be careful, Stiles. For his sake," he said, rubbing Everett's back. He sat Everett in his carrier and stood up, hugging me tightly. "I don't understand a lot of this wolf stuff. But I love you and I want you to be happy. If Peter loves you, he'll want you to be happy too."

I wanted to argue that an unstable Alpha werewolf might be inclined to disagree, but I decided not to.

We said our good-byes and I headed home. Isaac greeted me at the door. "Is it my turn to play with Everett?" I laughed, handing him over.

"He needs to eat soon so…" I started.

"Yeah, I got it. You act like I've never watched him. Geesh!" he smiled back. His smile faded for a moment. "Good luck tonight…"

I nodded, heading upstairs to the room I shared with Peter. I was surprised to see that he was there. I wasn't as surprised to see that he was masturbating. The scent in the air put my wolf in a frenzy. Before I could blink, I was on the bed, his dick in my mouth. He moaned, coaxing me further. He held my head, thrusting himself into my mouth. I gagged. I felt his influence wash over me. "Let me fuck you…"

I growled, stripping down and crawling on top of him. I grunted as he held my hips, pulling me down onto his cock. "Peter it hurts! If you knot me, I swear to God I'll kill you!"

As he pumped into me, my wolf was going wild. He pulled my face down to his, shoving his tongue into my mouth. He came hard inside me, whispering "I love you," against my lips. I felt his influence once more, just for a moment. "Have fun…"

I kissed him again before getting up and showering, not wanting to smell too much like Peter when I performed the ritual. I picked out some clothes I decided not to wear clothes, not wanting to get them covered in blood. It wasn't like Derek had never seen him naked before.

He noticed a forlorn look on Peter's face as he joined Derek outside. "Au naturale?" Derek asked.

"Skin to the wind…" I told him. He, too, stripped, leaving his clothes on the porch. We both shifted, taking off into the woods. I surrendered myself to my wolf, allowing it to guide me as we hunted. I caught the scent of a mountain lion and focused in. Derek and I chased it through the woods for several miles, finally cornering it in a cave.

It swatted at us, growling ferociously. I roared back at it, startling it enough to make it slink back. At once, Derek and I pounced on it. It was a much easier kill than I ever anticipated. I cracked its neck, biting into the lean meat. The blood oozed down my throat as I tore the muscle from the bones. By the time I sated my hunger, I was drenched in blood and the wolf was completely in charge. I snarled at him.

"Stiles… let's just go get some fresh air…" he suggested softly. I stared at him. My wolf saw prey. He slowly circled around me, getting closer to the entrance of the cave. "Listen to my voice. This is me…"

From the way his voice sounded, I could tell he had shifted back to human form. My wolf cast me aside, taking full control.

_Omega. No pack. He's weakest now. It wouldn't take much to kill him. To end the threat to my Pack… to my Alpha… to my young one. He can't be allowed to live. I can hear his pulse rising. I can smell the adrenaline in his blood. He's afraid. Good._

_I dart after him. He shifts. He thinks he can outrun me. He is wrong. I am the Alpha's Mate. I'm second strongest, second fastest in the entire Pack. He is nothing. He's puny. Fragile. Condemned._

_For hours I stalk him. He tries to escape into a river. It doesn't work. I find him. He begs._

"I won't fight you… I can't risk hurting you! Please Stiles… I know you're in there. Take control!" he urged.

"_It's too late,"_ _I growl._

"It's not too late. This isn't the man I love. Come on… I know you're stronger than this!"

_I can hear the fear in his voice. It affects the pitch, making it uneven. The human is roused by the sentiment. He fights me. I let out a roar. The prey whimpers. The human fights harder, pushing me back into my cage. For now._

"Derek I'm so sorry…" I panted as I fall to the ground, exhausted from the effort it took to rein the wolf back in.

"It's fine," he cooed, holding me close. Our swim through the river washed away some of the blood, but our skin is still very much stained by it. "The quicker we complete the ritual, the quicker your wolf will recognize me as Pack.

I nodded my agreement, kissing him passionately. I knocked him to the ground, holding his hands above his head as I ground my dick against his. I realized that Peter lifted his order.

"We don't have any lube…" I told him.

"I'm a tough cookie," he chuckled in reply.

I knew what pain was caused by lack of preparation and I didn't want him to experience that. I decided to make do. I kissed down his muscular torso, licking along the length of his erect cock. I lifted his legs up, running my tongue across the sensitive skin between his hole and his balls. He moaned in pleasure as I let my tongue penetrate into him. This was my first time doing something like this. I wasn't exactly a fan of it, but the pain it would save him later on was worth it to me. After several long minutes of teasing his hole with my tongue, I spat on my finger, pushing it into him. He grunted.

"Try to relax," I told him, but I knew how much easier said than done. Soon, I had stretched him enough to fit another finger, then another. "Are you ready?" I asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be… just do it," he replied.

I liberally coated my dick with saliva before pressing into him. I had almost forgotten how amazing this sensation was. His hole hugged my cock tightly as I pushed into him. He clawed at the dirt beneath him as I continued. He was breathing raggedly when I finally got all the way inside him. "I like the way you feel inside me," he grunted as I started thrusting.

"I like the way it feels being inside you," I replied, kissing him with fierce intensity. I felt the mounting pressure of the orgasm coming. I hated that I didn't last long both times I'd done this with him. I rush of ecstasy wash over me as he seemed to grow tighter around me. He gasped, eyes open wide, back arching up off the ground. I looked into his eyes with panicked concern as my come began gushing into him. I realized what was happening. I had knotted him, tying our bodies together. As suddenly as the wave of pleasure enraptured me, so did the sensation of having been struck by a car.

His eyes glowed a bright yellow and I could see my bright blue ones reflected back in them. As the sensation of being sliced ripped through me, eliciting a yelp of agony, his golden yellow eyes changed, turning a blue that matched mine. I no longer felt bound to Peter. All my focus was on Derek. I felt myself shifting back and forth between human and wolf. I screamed out. "What's happening to me?"

A warm breeze brought a familiar scent and my head jerked to its direction. Peter's glowing red eyes approached us. "Well, it was really just a matter of time before this happened…" he said.

"What are you talking about?" I managed to say once the shifting stopped. I collapsed on top of Derek.

"He and his wolf discovered the truth," he answered, though not really telling me anything.

"The truth about what?" Derek demanded, wincing as my body shifted slightly, my knot tugging against him.

Peter circled around us before sitting down on a nearby tree stump. "Several years ago I came across a book in the house. It was shortly after we defeated the Alphas and I knew we needed to bind our Pack more tightly and ensure that it continued. This book explained everything anyone would want to know about Mates and werewolf Mating. I could tell that you two were tied somehow. It was obvious, but if you turned Stiles, he'd just become a regular werewolf and you two would become Mates and all would be done. But we needed something more. So I kept looking and discovered the rare event of Pack Mating. It only happens under very specific circumstances. Luckily Stiles here was eager to sample other… weres, if you will." He chuckled at his own pun. "I used an Alpha order to get Isaac to join in. He had no idea what was going on until he knotted and it was too late. I was able to create a situation where you'd become a werewolf, and could help bring the next generation of Hale young. I pretended not to know much because I needed you to think I was just as surprised as you were. There's a strange anomaly that can happen with Pack Mating. If another Werewolf contributes more to the change, it can trick the wolf developing inside the Pack Mate."

I heard a low growl issue from inside Derek's throat as he and I both came to the same realization. Peter fucked me more often because he _was_ trying to make sure I was his. "I _knew _it!" I snarled.

"Yes… and bravo! Luckily Derek's sentimentality helped steer you off my trail. Now… here's the real kicker, Stiles… you played into it without even realizing. You _did_, in fact, choose who was going to become your Mate. If I hadn't heard you the morning after your first full moon and been the first to fuck you… all that waiting would have been for nothing. Derek just helped me out by leaving. You see… the _only_ way to correct it, was for you two to share an intimate moment," he said. The way he recounted it made him seem like some dastardly villain from a daytime soap opera.

"The reason your wolf always seemed separate from you was because I had forced it to make a choice it would not have otherwise made by keeping Derek from claiming what was rightfully his. But it doesn't matter anyway because while he may have a claim to you… I will always have a claim to your womb," he smiled at us. If I hadn't still been tied to Derek I would have tackled him and torn him to shreds. Stripping off his clothes, Peter moved closer, crawling on top of me. As he entered me, he whispered in my ear, "As long as I'm alive, you'll only ever be able to have _my_ pups."

"Why?" I demanded, grunting against the intrusion. "I was falling in love with you before the Mating..."

His thrusts caused me to tug against Derek, inducing pain in my Mate. "And I was intrigued by you the first time you risked your life for my kind. I knew I wanted you and that Derek would get in the way. I love you too, Stiles. Now we can both have what we want."

* * *

**Author's note**: Alas... all of my hint-dropping has led to this. I know this chapter probably felt a little rushed and to be honest, I had a difficult time writing it. Please let me know what you thought. I'll try to update fairly soon so you can see the aftermath of this development.


	12. Chapter 12

"Stiles, please… you don't understand," Peter insisted. He was locked in the cage built to contain me during my first Full Moon.

"Then enlighten me," I demanded.

"I did it to prove to you… you could love me too!" he told me.

"No! You manipulated me into thinking I love you. You lied to me!" I shouted. Isaac held me back from the cage. Rage was radiating off of me. I was holding back the urge to shift. My wolf and I were now one.

"If I hadn't done what I did you would never have seen me as anything more than a brute! You'd never have given me a chance!" he roared back.

"Because Derek is my Mate!" I argued. "Every one of us knew this. Even you!"

"I did," he agreed. "And I saw how much it was killing you to live without him. You were so strong for so long…"

"Stop that!" I screamed.

"What?"

"That manipulative bullshit. I'm tired of it!"

"The truth is manipulative?" he smirked. He looked away from me, as if he were searching for the words he wanted. When he'd found them his gaze returned to mine. "I'm not a very loving person, Stiles. Seeing your entire family burn alive kind of does that to a man. But you," he pointed at me. "You are one person I really do love. I actually love you more than I even love Derek. He's my nephew, but he has been a thorn in my side for a while now. And you were _so_ devoted to him. And you hated me for so long… you hated yourself for wanting me. I could sense it. But then… you changed. And I could feel something close to human again. It was amazing…" His voice got airy as he spoke. Unfortunately, I wasn't sure if I really had loved him or if my wolf did. "When we had Everett… I finally felt whole again. But you weren't happy with just us, but I knew why and I couldn't fault you for it so I played along."

"No, you manipulated events to fit your desires," I corrected him. I used that word so many times it was starting to lose its meaning.

"I did what I had to do to see you happy!" he growled. "Even though I knew it was going to cost me everything I had come to love and rely on! No good deeds go unpunished, I guess."

That one I didn't necessarily see coming. And it only served to cement my desire to fight Derek on whether or not Peter deserved to die, which is what was actually customary for the crime he committed. But having grown up without my mom, I refused to allow Everett to grow up without his father. I, however, was perched in the very uncomfortable limbo as to what I should even do with him. All decisions boiled down to my son. Peter was, at best, mentally unstable and at worst, a complete raging psychopath capable of destroying lives on a mere whim. That sort of influence wasn't what I wanted for Everett. I was angry at Peter for putting me in this position. Though I kept it to myself, I suspected that he actually knew I would save him for Everett's sake, which angered me because I had warned him never to use Everett as a pawn against me.

"How do we make it so that Derek and I can have kids?" I asked him.

"Kill me," he responded.

My rage boiled up so fast it was like I'd been struck by lightning. I turned around and drove my fist through a column. I knew I'd have to fix it soon because it was a main support beam for the house and we spent a lot of money and time getting the house in a live-able condition, but the release of the anger just felt too good. I was panting. "Peter I can't let that happen. There has to be another way…"

"Yeah, Derek fights me, wins, becomes the Alpha of the pack and I have to leave," he answered. No matter what, Everett lost his father. I refused to accept that.

"There has to be another way," I insisted. "Where's the book? I can look it up…"

"I burned it. I couldn't risk you two finding it and realizing what I'd done," he sighed. "And now I get to live life without ever seeing my son. I guess a thorough job also never goes unpunished."

"I'll check the Argent bestiary. There's got to be another way. Everett won't grow up without a dad!"

Peter chuckled. "This is why I love you, Stiles," he mused. "Despite the fact that I've told you that no matter what, I have to leave… you're still doing everything you can to find another way for our son's sake. It's just the kind of person you are. You're an annoyingly optimistic little fuck who can't accept that sometimes, bad shit happens."

I got close to the cage, as close as possible. "I refuse to allow bad shit to happen to our son. You may have lied and schemed your way into making him, but I love that child with everything I am and he will not pay the price for your actions!"

Peter looked amused. "If you want children with my nephew, then yes… unfortunately Everett pays that price. Or you can open this cage and I can put an entire litter inside you… if there isn't one already…"

I stormed out of the basement, my vision red in my rage. I could be having his child again… and not Derek's… _never_ Derek's. Because I was trying to be a good parent. Derek looked concerned as I emerged, heading to the door, slamming it behind me. It was light out and the sun nearly blinded me. Unable to stop myself, I shifted, tearing my claws against a tree. It broke from the force.

"Did it put up much of a fight?" Derek's voice cut through the air. I glared at him. "The tree, I mean…"

"Now's not the time," I warned.

He approached me slowly, caressing my cheek before pulling me close. I shifted back to human. Finally back in his arms, I allowed the weight of this situation to press down on me and I sobbed into his neck. He rubbed my back, allowing me to show my weakness until I no longer felt like crying. When I finally pulled away, he kissed my forehead, wiping the salty water from my eyes and cheeks. "I take it Peter wasn't helpful?" he asked softly.

"No," I replied. "I refuse to let my son grow up without a father…"

Derek pulled me close once again. "Stiles… I can be Ev's father. He's your son so he's part of my Pack too. I'll love him and raise him as if he were my own…"

"And if he finds out the truth? He'll see us as the monsters who either killed or banished his dad. I don't see this ending well," I told him.

"He's left us no choice," Derek replied. "So what are our options?"

"The only ways for you and me to have kids is to either kill him, or make him no longer an Alpha," I told him. "But if you beat him, he has to leave."

Derek winced. "He could come back… after several years."

"And he'll miss Everett's first words… his first steps… and any werewolf firsts that happen then because I have no idea what to expect on that side…" I rambled.

"I know you want what's best, Stiles… but sacrifices are going to have to be made…" Derek insisted.

"And my son pays the price…"

* * *

**Author's Note:** Sorry it took so damn long to update. I started yet another story…. A Doctor Who/Sterek crossover and while I have no regrets, I'm starting to wonder how this became my life haha. And I had some serious writer's block when it came to this story. But I had to force myself through it and voila... this chapter happened. I now have a beta reader so that's awesome, but I didn't run this chapter through him so I apologize for any errors, I just didn't want you all to wait yet another day for the update. I'm going to try to update sooner but I make few if any promises…. Thank you and please review!


	13. Chapter 13

A decision had to be made. We couldn't keep Peter locked in the basement forever. I hated myself for not knowing what to do. He had used me. He had fucked me until I could barely walk. He used lies and manipulation to get me to become his mate and have his child. Yet I could not decide his fate.

Derek made it clear that he wanted to impose Werewolf law and kill Peter. My dad demanded to make good on the promise he made to Peter the first night they met. Scott and Allison told me to turn him over to the Argents and that they would take care of him. I had all these ways to dispose of Peter, but my conscience wouldn't let me choose a single one. As I seemed to do in times of great crisis, I turned to Isaac for advice.

He and I sat by a stream that ran close to the house. Our bare feet kicked into the water as we spoke. "You need to make a decision you can live with," he offered.

"That's my entire problem. I don't know what I can live with. I don't want Everett to grow up without his dad. I grew up without my mom and I wish every single day that I hadn't. I can't be the one to take his parent away. I really just can't," I said.

"If he stays in Everett's life, he will cause more problems than it's worth," Isaac replied. His honesty was brutal as always. "Besides… Derek has already told you that he'd raise and love Ev. He's a much better influence than Peter would be."

"What will Everett think of us for what we did?" I wondered aloud.

"If you raise him to be the wolf that I know you will, then when the time comes, you can explain to him and he'll understand. He might be angry for a while, but he'll know you did what you thought was best for him," Isaac said.

I hugged him, resting my head on his shoulder. "I'm not sure what I'd do without you."

* * *

Peter paced in his prison. He smirked at me as I entered it. "Have you decided my fate yet?" I nodded. "Well… what do I have to look forward to?"

"I won't kill you. Not yet anyway," I told him. "And I've forbidden any of the multitudes of people who want your head on a platter from doing so as well. But you've broken werewolf law..."

"Since when have you cared about werewolf laws?" he interrupted, a look of amusement crossing his face.

I didn't let it shake me. "But since I can't trust Derek not to kill you if you fight, I'm in an uncomfortable position."

"Wouldn't be the first time," Peter chuckled.

I glared at him, continuing, "So I'm going to give you this one chance. Leave the pack of your own free will. Become an Omega."

"And what are the terms of the agreement if I agree or refuse?" he asked.

He had a right to know what he was choosing so I accommodated him. "If you agree to the terms, we'll give you a chance to say goodbye to Everett and banish you from the area until he turns 18. After that, we'll let him choose whether or not he wants you to be a part of his life."

"Do you honestly expect him to want me in his life after you and Derek have spent 18 years telling him how evil I am?" he mused, reclining himself a little.

"Peter you don't know how hard it is for me to separate him from you. But I give you my word that I will never let him hear a word against you. We'll tell him that you had to leave and it wasn't your fault and that you love him," I said. It was the truth. I didn't want to poison my son against his father.

"And if I decide not to take your little deal? What then?" he asked, looking into my eyes.

"Then you've tied my hands and I have to let Derek fight you for the position of Alpha. Like I said… I can't trust him not to kill you. Please, Peter… If you ever loved me… If you love Everett…" I begged.

"I thought you said our son wasn't to be used as a weapon," he retorted.

"He isn't! God damn it, Peter!" I yelled. "I'm trying to save your life! Don't you understand that?"

"No," Peter argued. "You're trying to have a clear conscience. Please don't insult me by pretending that this has anything to do with my wellbeing."

I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. I was shaking. I was just so furious with him. Why couldn't he see that this was the only way? "Whatever motive you think I have… please… just take the offer." I turned away and headed upstairs. Isaac passed me, bringing food and water to Peter. He could tell by the expression on my face that it hadn't gone well. Derek tried to comfort me but I rebuffed him, heading into the nursery. Everett was in his crib. He could sit up on his own and was entertaining himself by grabbing at and moving his stuffed wolf around his body. His attention snapped to me the moment I entered the room.

"You're supposed to be sleeping…" I said to him. His arms reached out to me, a huge smile on his face. He giggled as I picked him up. The sound of it had an instant effect on me, helping to turn my mood completely around. I sat in the rocking chair next to his crib, bouncing my son on my knee, playing peek-a-boo. His eyes were always wide with amazement as I peeked out from between my hands. He giggled more and more each time.

I could tell he was getting sleepy so I put him back in his crib, setting the mobile that hung above it to play. I rubbed his belly as he drifted off, continuing to watch him even after he was sound asleep, something I did quite often. I couldn't help but chuckle as a bit of drool dribbled out of the side of his mouth and onto his bed. There was no doubt in my mind that he was my son.

As I walked out, of his room, I saw Derek and Isaac chatting in the hallway. They abruptly stopped when they saw me… which really annoyed the hell out of me. "What is it?" I asked, keeping my voice soft so as not to wake Ev.

"Peter said he decided and he wanted to talk to you," Isaac told me. I could see that Derek wasn't happy. I raced down into the basement.

"Eager aren't we…" Peter purred as I stared at him through the bars of his cage.

"What did you decide?" I demanded.

"I decided I'll take your offer if you'll indulge my three conditions," he replied airily.

I could only imagine what conditions he could have thought up… and whether or not they'd be conditions that Derek, too, would agree to. "Alright. What conditions?"

"First, when Ev turns 18, I'm allowed to return to Beacon Hills… to my home," he started. I nodded. I would rather have him return where I could still keep an eye on Everett, than to have Everett venture off to find Peter and be at the mercy of the twisted ways in which Peter could warp him.

"Agreed," I said.

He smiled. "Second, I want to see him each year on his birthday. I don't want to be a stranger to him when I'm allowed to return," he said.

"That one I'll need to run by Derek, but I'll do my best," I promised. "What's your third."

"I want to kiss you one last time," he whispered, getting as close to the bars as he could. He stared into my eyes.

I agreed to that as well, quite certain that I could deal with him if he got too randy. I went back upstairs to speak with Derek. "No. I don't want him back in 18 years, I don't want him here once a year, and I certainly don't want him kissing you. Why would you agree to any of it?"

"You're not a parent you don't understand…" I told him. "If someone told me I had to go 18 years without seeing Everett… I would go insane… I'd probably kill myself. All he's asking for is 18 days out of 18 years."

Derek glared at me but I refused to back down. "Fine," he muttered after several minutes. I hugged him tightly. "You owe me…" he growled into my ear, hugging me back.

I went downstairs to tell Peter. He seemed relieved. "You have quite an influence over him," he chuckled.

"I can be unfairly adorable when I need to be," I shrugged. Derek followed me down.

"You have to leave the pack before we let you go," he told his Uncle.

"Smart boy," Peter muttered. "Can't have big Alpha uncle walking around when you're trying to kick him out."

"No, I just want to make sure you'll actually do it," Derek replied. "If you break this bargain… I will kill you on the spot. Do you understand?" Peter nodded. "The Argents will be informed of the deal as well. If you are spotted here outside the specified times, they will have my full permission to kill you. Painfully. With wolfs bane."

"Just please make sure he knows that I love him," Peter requested.

I heard the sound of Everett crying. "That nap didn't last very long did it?" I muttered to myself, running upstairs to grab my son. First, I had to change him. I'm sure changing diapers is disgusting enough for human parents. When your senses are heightened, however, it takes on an entirely new horror. However when Ev was clean and comfortable again, I brought him downstairs.

"Before we let you out, do it," Derek commanded.

Peter closed his eyes, shifting into his wolf form. The red eyes glowed ominously. He closed them. Derek and I shifted too. Our blue eyes met. He grabbed my hand. Peter's eyes opened and the red began to swirl, turning black and then gold. I looked at Derek's eyes. The blue turned to Alpha red. "There. You happy?" Peter asked. Derek nodded, looking very self-satisfied. "Great. Now can you leave so I can have a few moments alone with Stiles and our son?"

"I'll be right outside the door if you need me," Derek told me.

I nodded. "Ok." Everett cackled in my arm. I undid the latch that locked Peter in, allowing him out. As soon as he was free, he kissed me deeply.

I felt uncomfortable. I knew it came from my wolf. My instincts didn't want me kissing anyone other than my Mate. When the kiss broke, he leaned his forehead against mine. "I only agreed for yours and Everett's sake. I'm sorry what I did hurt you… but at least now you know. We could have been amazing together."

"If our relationship hadn't been built on a solid foundation of lies and deceit, perhaps we would have," I replied.

"I deserved that." Peter sighed, taking Everett from my arms. He held our baby tightly to him. "I have to leave now," he whispered in Ev's ear, bouncing him slightly. I could hear his voice cracking and felt a lump growing in my throat. "Your daddy loves you more than life itself. Never forget that," he placed a kiss on Everett's temple. I could see the tears forming in his eyes. They were already spilling out of mine. The baby began to cry. "Shhh! None of that," Peter cooed. "You'll see me soon enough." He handed our son to me, placing one last chaste kiss on my lips. "I know you'll take care of him. Just please don't let him forget how much I love him."

Unable to form words, I nodded. I did my best to comfort Everett but he seemed to know that something was wrong. I followed Peter back upstairs and watched as he walked out of the house.

By the time I finally got Everett to calm down, it was time to feed him. Isaac offered, but I wanted to spend this time alone with him. When Everett was asleep for the night, I went to the room Derek and I shared. Once I was lying next to him, the urge to mate became almost too much to bear. His scent filled my head, intoxicating me in a way I hadn't felt since I drank the wolfs bane-laced punch at Lydia's party.

I could see that Derek was clawing the sheets beneath us, trying to contain himself as well. He stared up at the ceiling. "Are you…" he started to ask.

"Uh-huh," I replied.

"Can we?" he asked.

As much as I didn't want to, the instincts were far too much. I knew I'd never be able to sleep if it we didn't. I nodded and in seconds, he had torn the clothes off both of our bodies and was between my legs, his tongue desperately exploring my mouth. Moments later he was thrusting into me. My body wanted this more than it wanted air. I was no stranger to sex, but never before had it felt so satisfying. No matter if he was going rough or slowly, it was exactly what I wanted.

His hands explored the familiar territory of my body as moonlight reflected off the sheen of sweat that had formed in our frenzy. I gasped as I felt his knot filling me up. His come burst into me, sating the thirst my body had for it. As we lay tied together, Derek kissed me, clearly stunned by the intensity of his orgasm. It made sense as we hadn't had sex since the Ritual. I just felt happy that I was with Derek and that I could think again, having satisfied my instinct to Mate. I knew innately that this would result in me being pregnant again. I wasn't sure that I wanted another child so soon, but it was my duty as Derek's Mate to ensure he had offspring. I wrapped my arms around him as we fell asleep, his knot still deep within me.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Thanks for waiting so patiently for the next chapter. I'll try to update as soon as possible. Please review!


	14. Chapter 14

Months passed and my belly grew. At first, the house felt vacant without Peter and Everett pitched frequent fits, but even he grew used to not seeing his father. It pained me, causing me to instantly regret our decision. I took tons of photos and videos of Ev, keeping them in a safe place so that I could send them to Peter, giving him a chance to still stay connected to our son.

Derek stepped up as a father figure, but I could tell that it was forced.

I tried to hide it from my dad for as long as I could. It helped that it was getting cooler outside, so I could wear my bulky red sweater. But soon, even that failed to completely hide my condition. As Everett played in the play pen my dad had set up for him, Derek and I sat in his living room. There was quite a bit of awkward silence. "Well, I'm sorry you didn't feel you could come to me about this earlier," he told me. That felt like a knife going through me.

"It wasn't like that," I told him. "I really wanted to wait… a _lot_ longer before having another. But werewolf…" I struggled to find the right word, "… urges are a lot harder to control. Especially for Mates."

Dad looked to Derek, assuming a threatening position. "I'll tell you what I told Peter: I don't want you taking advantage of him."

"Never, sir," Derek replied.

The rest of the visit was tense, but dad always loved his time with Everett. As we drove back home, hairs bristled on the back of my neck. Pulling into the driveway only made it worse. "Derek, something's wrong," I told him. My instincts were telling me to run… take Everett and run.

"What is it?" he asked, his eyes full of concern.

"I don't know… something feels off," I replied.

"Is it the baby?" his voice trembled in panic.

I shook my head. "No. Someone's here… or has been here. Where's Isaac?"

Derek whipped out his phone, dialing Isaac as fast as he could. It rang repeatedly. No answer. Against my better judgment, I burst out of the car, darting inside. Derek called after me, but stayed with Everett. I preferred having him in the protection of an Alpha. "ISAAC!" I screamed over and over. I shifted. It didn't help that his scent was already all over the house because he lived there… but there was another unrecognizable scent too. I followed it. I was performing every single Horror Movie No-no and I knew it, but Isaac was my Pack… I needed to know he was okay. I followed him down to the basement.

"Stiles?" his voice was weak. I could see an arrow in his shoulder. It had to have been laced with wolfsbane. He would have pulled it out and healed if not.

"I'm here," I told him, immediately trying to help his shoulder heal.

"Look out," he grunted. It took only seconds for me to see the movement in my peripheral vision. Adrenaline pumped through my veins. The instinct to protect myself and my young kicked in so strong, I had little control over my own movements. A knife slashed at me several times but I knocked it out of the assailant's hand. Sinking my claws into flesh, I held the intruder up to the post by the neck. It was then that I was able to make out details.

He was shorter than I was and more built. A low growl escaped my throat as he stared defiantly into my eyes. "Go ahead and kill me, freak… it'll justify putting you and the rest of your pack down like the mutts you are."

"I won't let you be a martyr for your cause," I replied. Blood trickled down his neck. "I'll let them take care of you for me." I bit him several times. I had never been instructed on how exactly to turn a human and was really only going by what I'd seen. I wasn't entirely sure that as a Beta, I _could_ turn someone. It was worth a shot and the screams of agony coming from his lungs helped me feel better about my choice. I wanted him to suffer for hurting Isaac. Death was too merciful.

Grabbing his long hair, I dragged him up the stairs and to the front door where I threw him into the yard. "Go tell your friends that _my_ pack is off limits."

"They'll skin your hides," he sputtered, scrambling to his feet. Derek had Everett in his arms ready to bolt if necessary.

"I'll kill them all," I replied. Given the hormones running through my system, it was a pretty solid threat. As he ran off, I called after him, adding, "The full moon is in three days. Have fun!"

Everett was whimpering and clutching tightly to Derek who seemed confused. "What just happened?"

"Our house isn't safe anymore," I told him.

"Where else can we go?" he asked.

I shrugged. "My dad's is the only one I can think of…"

"I don't want to involve him in this. It's a werewolf matter," Derek replied.

I glared at him. "It's a safety matter. And he'll disagree when it's his son, grandson, and other in utero grandchild who are at risk," I snapped. "Now I need to go tend to Isaac. Get some clothes together for us all. And call Dad. I'm sure he'll want a heads up."

"Who died and made you Alpha?" he said under his breath as I descended the stairs to the basement. I ignored him.

Isaac was still in the same position, but he looked even weaker. He was covered in sweat. He stirred only slightly as I approached. "Isaac?" I whispered. He grunted. At least he was still alive. "I need to get that arrow out of you. But it's going to hurt."

He struggled to look at me. "Do you know what you're doing?" he mumbled.

_No_, I thought as I nodded. I leaned him forward, supporting him with one hand and broke off the tip of the arrow. The entire arrow had been laced with the stuff. I felt weaker just touching it. "On three," I told him. He nodded. I began my count, but pulled it out on "two" just to save him the anticipation of the pain. He cried out and I threw the arrow across the room, already feeling lightheaded from the contact. Blood seeped from the wound. I took my shirt off, using it to compress the wound until his werewolf healing kicked in.

As the wound healed, I got up, trying to steady myself. I needed to wash the Hunter's blood, Isaac's blood, and the wolfs bane off of my body. I headed up to the shower. Everett was sitting on the bed as Derek piled clothes into suitcases. I barely made it into the shower before I collapsed and things went dark.

* * *

I woke up some time later in my dad's house. Both dad and Derek were sitting by the bed. I heard them both heave a sigh of relief when they saw my eyes flutter open. "Welcome back," Derek said smiling. I saw the worry etched in my father's face. He hugged me tightly.

"How did I pass out? I just touched the arrow…" I groaned.

"And you bit the hunter, so you ingested some of his blood," Derek replied. "I think he was sent there to weaken us. You're still fairly new at being a werewolf. I smelled the wolfs bane in his blood. I didn't realize you had bit him until Isaac told me. Good idea…"

"I'm doubting the intelligence of it," Dad replied. "It almost killed you."

"Will the bite work?" I asked.

"You're my second-in-command. It should work… we'll have to see," Derek answered. The fact that I inflicted pain made all of this worth it in my mind.

"We need to tell Peter what's going on," I said finally.

"Nope!" Dad replied, seeming to take the words right out of Derek's mouth. "Absolutely not. If I see him, _I'll_ shoot him!"

"If Everett is in danger, then he deserves to know!" I argued, my strength quickly returning.

"Everett isn't in danger because we're here to protect him," Derek stated.

* * *

Weeks passed and nothing came of the threats the Hunter made. Derek checked the house daily to see if intruders had gone in. The Argents agreed to help us patrol, taking daylight shifts. They wanted a chance to take out any Hunters that refused to follow the code just as much as we did. Derek, Isaac, and Scott alternated nights. This routine seemed to hold any would-be attackers away because nothing ever came of them. I kept Everett in our room, just in case, but soon, I was able to sleep soundly again.

One night as Derek slept with Everett cuddled close to him, I awoke to the sound of a familiar howl. It wasn't Scott or Isaac. I knew the timbre of their calls like my own heartbeat. I couldn't place the sound. Against better judgment, I pulled on clothes and followed it into the woods.

Scott noticed me walking aimlessly into unprotected territory and tried to follow me. He wasn't part of my pack, so I couldn't use my higher rank to order him away. Instead, I let him follow me. I let him believe I didn't notice him at all. The howl came again. This time it sounded more panicked than before. I bolted in the direction it came from.

I pushed myself to go faster, but my ever growing stomach was slowing me down, even with my werewolf-enhanced strength and speed. As I approached a clearing, I stopped. Scott thudded into me. I shushed him as I observed the area. It was stupid to walk into an open clearing like that. I found a pine cone and threw it toward another tree. Immediately I heard a stream of arrows hit where the pine cone had.

I scanned again. The wind was blowing in a way that the hunters' scents were kept from me. I concentrated. I could hear a low rumble. There was definitely a werewolf lurking around. I just couldn't see him. A man's scream cut through the silence, followed by another string of arrows. I crouched low. "Retreat… the werewolf is using us as a human shield. We can't risk it any further."

Again I heard the growl and another male scream. "What's going on?" Scott asked.

"How the hell should I know?" I snapped, keeping my voice low. "Let's head back… Derek will freak if he finds out…"

Slowly, cautiously, Scott and I headed back the way we came. I could see the Hale House when Peter's familiar voice hit my ear. "Stiles?" I jerked my head in the direction it came from. "NO!" I heard him scream. Immediately I felt pain.

I looked down. There was an arrow in my belly. I could feel the effects of the wolfs bane starting to weaken me. I fell to my knees, hearing the slaughter going on as Peter and Scott tried to protect me. This pain was unreal. Even birthing Everett hadn't hurt this much. I felt weaker and weaker. Adrenaline was causing my heart to race, pumping the poison through my system faster… pumping the poison to my baby…. "Oh my God," I whispered before the darkness closed in on me. "My baby…"

* * *

**A/N**: I'm so sorry... One for not updating for almost a month and two: for updating with this. I promise you, it'll get better. I won't make you all wait so long for the next chapter, I promise! Please review (but please don't hate me!)


	15. Chapter 15

I came in and out of wakefulness, but never was I truly awake. Occasionally I heard noise that I could make out, mostly Derek's voice. At one point, I heard a child crying but it didn't sound like Everett. Though there were enough drugs in my system that I couldn't quite remember what Everett sounded like. It was always the same, though. I'd hear the snippet of conversation and before I could form a coherent thought in regards to it, I'd fade back into the darkness.

When I finally made it to the surface, Derek was sitting on the side of my bed. My head was cloudy from the medications used to keep me under. I fought through the fog in my mind, trying to remember what happened. Slowly, I moved my hand to my stomach. It was flat. The skin was as smooth as ever. "The baby…" I said groggily, looking around the room I grew up in

"He's fine. Dr. Deaton delivered him. He's healthy," Derek replied.

"Good," I managed. "Where's Peter?"

Derek sighed. "He's staying in a hotel on the outskirts of the city. He won't leave until he knows you're okay."

"And Scott?"

"He's fine, too. But better question: how are _you_ feeling?" he asked. "I was afraid I lost you."

"No, you're stuck with me," I joked, sitting up. "I want to see our baby." Derek nodded and left the room, coming back with our child. He was wrapped tightly in a blue blanket. "He looks like an adorable little burrito…" I sighed, falling instantly in love with the perfect little face sleeping in Derek's arms. Carefully, Derek handed him to me. It dawned on me that we hadn't even talked about names. He _was_ a little early. "What are we going to name him?"

Derek was silent for a few moments, watching me hold our son. "I was thinking 'Theodore.'" I gave Derek a curious look, prompting him to add, "It means 'Gift'. And that's what he is. Deaton said that if the arrow had hit you millimeters in any direction, we could have lost him. He's a miracle… he's our gift."

"Theodore Hale," I whispered. "I love it."

I held our infant close to me. He was so perfect and so adorable. Then a realization hit me: he wasn't safe. The hunters who had tried to kill me before would only come back, and now I had two children who needed to be protected. I could taste the metallic blood on my tongue as I imagined ripping limb from limb anyone who tried to lay a hand on my pack and especially my children.

Derek laid next to me on the bed and we held our son. Finally my dad arrived, carrying a rambunctious looking Everett. "He took his first steps while you were out," Dad told me. "I caught them on camera for you."

Unsteadily, Everett crawled up my Derek's legs and sat, gazing at his little brother. He giggled. The moment was sobering and beautiful and I couldn't help but cry. "Stiles what's wrong?" Derek asked.

"It's nothing," I lied as the tears dripped from my cheek onto Theodore's blanket. Everett snuggled close to Derek's torso. Derek responded by wrapping his arm around the little one, holding him close. I wished I could live in this moment for all of eternity. My gaze drifted to my father who was also misty-eyed.

"I-uh I'm going to go make a quick phone call," he lied, stepping out of the room. Time passed and it was getting late. Derek took Everett to the makeshift nursery and coaxed him to sleep, leaving Theodore in my arms. Dad came back in.

"You scared me, kiddo," he said softly, taking the spot Derek had previously occupied.

"I'm sorry," I replied. "I never meant for you to get involved in all of this stuff."

To my surprise, he chastised me for my apology. "Don't be sorry, Stiles! I want to be in your life. And if that means some veterinarian is giving you a C-section on my kitchen table, then so be it. We're going to find the bastards that did this to you. No one hurts my son and gets away with it." We sat in silence for a moment. "Your mom would be very proud of you, son. You're a great dad… you're great with Derek. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks," I managed to say, trying to swallow down the lump forming in my throat yet again.

"You get some rest," he told me. "I'll take Theodore. I'm sure Derek will be in shortly." Carefully, I placed Theodore in his arms.

We said our 'good nights' and he turned the lights off. It didn't take long for me to drift back to sleep.

* * *

**A/N**: I know it's super short, but I couldn't let you all continue not knowing the baby's fate. Sorry to scare you like that! I hope you enjoyed the family feels in this one. I see a light at the end of the tunnel for this story... and I think the next chapter might have some sexy time... As always, I strongly urge you to let me know what you think! It's reader feedback that helps give me the motivation to keep writing. :)


	16. Chapter 16

This chapter explores a bit of kink. I don't want to say too much, lest I spoil it... but be yeah... Ye be warned!

* * *

Due to the high amounts of wolfs bane that had leeched into my system, my recovery took much longer than I was used to. However, when I was up and able to move around with minimal difficulty, Derek and I decided that it was time to return home, despite my dad's insistence that we stay with him.

"It's really not a bother. Those rooms are never used anyway and you'd be a lot safer!" he kept saying over and over.

"You already raised one rambunctious pain in the ass, dad… now it's my turn," I replied, hugging him tightly as we loaded everything back into Derek's car.

"Are you going to be safe?" he asked. His voice trembled slightly with fear.

"We'll be fine!" I urged. "The pack and the Argents will help protect us."

"That's what they were supposed to be doing last time!" he countered.

"And they were… _I_ was the one who ran out in the middle of a war zone!" I reminded him.

He hit me upside the head. "Never do that again!"

I chuckled. "Lesson learned!"

I turned around to see Derek standing in the driveway, Everett holding his hand, walking unsteadily to the car, and Theodore, or as we were now calling him: Teddy, in his arms. He turned around. I wasn't sure if it was me or my wolf who thought that sight was sexier. In all honesty, it was probably a healthy dose of both. Physically speaking, I was a little starved.

When we got back home, Isaac greeted me with a tight hug. "If you ever do something like that again, I'll personally kill you!"

Derek's eyes flashed momentarily red at the threat. His instinct to protect me had become much stronger since Teddy was born. Isaac hugged me again and helped us unpack everything. "Why don't you go rest?" Derek suggested before I finished in the kids' room. He came up behind me, wrapping his arms around my chest and kissed me on my neck. I melted into his strong body.

I felt his hardness against my backside, straining against his jeans. "Derek… the kids…" I breathed.

"… are fine. I asked Isaac to watch them for a bit and he'll make sure they eat and go down for their nap while I spend some time with my Mate," he finished. "Go lie down and get ready. I'll only be a few minutes in here…"

I turned around, standing face to face with him, His arms dropped to my waist. I pressed my lips to his. He deepened the kiss and I loved the taste of his mouth on my tongue. Before things got too hot and heavy he pulled himself away. I opened my eyes, frustrated at the abrupt stop. His eyes were still closed. He was still breathing me in. I saw him shiver as he opened his eyes again.

"Fuck unpacking," he whispered, attacking my mouth with all new energy. He picked me up, wrapping my legs around his waist as he carried me into our bedroom. He tossed me lightly onto our bed and stripped off his clothes after shutting the door against any intrusions. His powerful body pinned me to the bed and I ground my pelvis against his. "How long has it been?" he asked between kisses as he ripped the clothes from my body and tossed them on the floor.

"If you can't remember, then it's too long," I replied, figuring I'd complain about him ruining my clothes at a later point. Every cell in my body seemed to be brimming with desire for my Mate.

He kissed down my torso but I stopped him. I knew he was going to try and get me off first. I pulled him back up and flipped us over so that I was on top. He grinned mischievously. His torso had gotten a little hairy and I loved it. There were so many things my body wanted that I had a difficult time concentrating. I took him in my mouth. He moaned, "You're spoiling me. I want to do it to you…"

I came off of him for a moment. "There's a way to arrange that…" I moved around, allowing him to stay in my mouth, but making it easier for him to reciprocate. The feeling of his tongue against my shaft sent shivers up my spine. It didn't take long before I felt myself getting closer and closer to the edge. Derek made little thrusting motions that told me he, too, was getting close. My hips bucked and I exploded into his mouth. I redoubled my efforts and was quickly rewarded. I swallowed him down and brought my head back to my pillow. He wrapped his arms around me kissing me. We could taste ourselves. I didn't care. He needed time to recover so we just laid there. I could tell he was scenting me, but it was instinct. Since he was my Mate, I had the urge to roll around in his scent to tell others that I was his.

His hand traveled down my body as our tongues dueled in our mouths. I felt his fingers at my opening. I moaned. Slowly, one slipped in. Again I moaned. He added another and another. I felt stretched nearly to capacity. I wimpered as he took them out. "I want to try something…" He grabbed the lube, covering his hand in it. I must have looked worried because he stopped. "Do you trust me?" I nodded. "If at any point you want me to stop, just say the word." Again I nodded.

His fingers slipped back into me but he didn't stop at the fingers. He kept pressing on. "D-Derek?" I whimpered, realizing what he was trying to do.

"Are you alright? Do you want me to stop?" he replied immediately, concern coloring his face.

"No," I replied. "Just… slowly…" He nodded, keeping his eyes on my face for any visible sign that he should stop. Slowly he pushed further and further. I felt more stretched and full than I had ever felt before in my life. It burned and hurt in the most exquisite ways. Every few moments, he'd ask how I was doing and I'd encourage him further. He seemed uncomfortable going any further than the wrist. Instead, he slowly worked his fist in and out of me. Inhuman noises escaped my lips. The girth of his hands kept rubbing my prostate and before I knew it, I had shot another load onto my stomach.

Slowly he removed his hand and replaced it with his dick. I could tell that I wasn't wrapped as tightly around him as I usually was. It didn't seem to bother him. He was soon blasting himself inside me. I felt uncomfortably empty when he pulled out. He washed his hands quickly before returning to bed. "You were amazing," he cooed, kissing along my jawline. "Is that something you would want to try again?"

I nodded. "Could I try you?"

"We'd have to work up to it, but yeah… we could try it," he replied, nuzzling close to me. My hole clenched, trying to shut. I groaned, not liking the sensation. "Because I'm an Alpha, it might take a little longer for you to heal…"

"How _much_ longer?" I asked.

"Fifteen, twenty minutes tops," he said.

"Then will you hold me until I do?" I asked.

He wrapped his arms around me and I rested my head on his powerful chest. "Of course."

"How long have you wanted to try that?" I asked.

I felt him shrug. "A while."

"And why didn't you?"

"To be honest, I never thought you'd enjoy it."

"Did _you_ enjoy it?"

He chuckled. "I think it was one of the hottest things we've ever done."

* * *

**A/N**: Your sexytime as promised! I'll admit, it was mostly inspired by the now infamous Glove Scene. Let me know what you think! I also just started a new Wing!AU Fic that I encourage you to check out! Until then, happy reading. :)


	17. Chapter 17

"You're going to tell Peter, aren't you?" Isaac asked as we sat outside, Teddy was in my arms and Everett was climbing on his uncle.

"I have to, Isaac," I said. Teddy cackled joyfully as he watched Everett tumble over Isaac's shoulder and into his lap.

"Derek will be pissed," he grumbled, lifting Everett over his shoulder for the twelfth time.

"There are certain decisions regarding Everett's life that I'll be willing to make with Derek. This isn't one of them," I told him.

"I'm going with you," Isaac said.

I shook my head. "No. You don't need to get involved in this."

"I wasn't asking permission, Stiles. I'm going with you!" he insisted.

I could tell I wasn't going to win this fight. "Well… the quicker we do it, the quicker Peter can get to a safer distance from us."

"We should probably drop the boys off at your dad's," Isaac suggested. I agreed. Derek was going to freak that I went and saw Peter. I had no idea how to predict what he would do if he knew I brought Teddy anywhere near his uncle.

We load them into the car and drive them over to my dad's. Everett, whose walking is getting better by the day, rushed to him, arms outstretched. My dad picked him up and swings him around the same way he used to do to me. I choke back tears as I watch the sight. Everett in arm, he approached me. "I don't mind watching them, Stiles… but I need to know. Is everything alright?" he asked solemnly.

"Yeah. I was just going to run an errand that might take a little too long and I can't bring them in," I lied.

"And Derek couldn't watch them?"

"He's busy with Scott and the Argents," It wasn't a lie. Dad could tell I was omitting something, but he chose not to pursue it. I was relieved.

He hugged me tightly. "Whatever it is, be safe."

Soon we were back on the road, heading to the hotel Peter was staying in. When we finally got there, it seemed as though Peter had been waiting on us.

"I almost thought you wouldn't come," Peter called from a balcony as Isaac and I got out of the car. It was creepy. He motioned for us to go up the stairs and soon we were standing face-to-face with him. He hugged me tightly. "I'm glad you're alright. Did the child survive?"

"Yes," I replied. "Everett loves his little brother."

Peter didn't look as thrilled by that news as should have. "A son?" he asked. It sounded more like an accusation than a question.

"Yes. We named him Theodore," I told him.

He sighed. "I'm glad you're safe," he said. I was careful to listen to his heartbeat as he spoke. I didn't believe his word choice was an accident.

"Thank you for helping save my life, Peter," I said softly.

"I'll always protect you if I can," Peter whispered. "I'll leave now. I'll see you on Everett's birthday."

"He misses you," I told him. "I haven't let him forget you. I promised you I won't. I have pictures and videos I've taken. I just didn't know how to get them to you."

He grabbed some paper and a pen, scribbling down an email address. He handed it to me. "He's the only reason I'm still alive. Will you _please_ send it to me?" Peter said.

I saw the pain in his eyes. "I wish there were another way, Peter."

"You could have killed me. It would have been easier."

* * *

Derek was livid. "You knew I wouldn't want you to and you did it anyway!"

"He needed to know I was alright and you know what? He's gone. We won't see him again until Everett's birthday!" I reasoned.

"And you got Isaac _and_ your dad involved in it!" he continued.

"I did it to get him out of here, Derek!" I yelled, trying to get a word in. "It worked!"

"How many times are you going to put yourself in danger?" Derek asked. "I love you Stiles, but you're selfishly putting yourself and the pack in harm's way!"

"Stop fighting!" Isaac demanded, finally coming out of his room. His eyes were yellow.

"You disobeyed me!" Derek countered, pointing menacingly at Isaac. "We'll deal with that later."

I saw Isaac's lip curl. I could tell that Derek was treading into sensitive territory. Isaac stepped forward menacingly. "What will you do, Derek?" My eyes darted from my Mate to my friend and back. Derek's eyes glowed red. "Nothing you can consider doing to me is something I haven't already been through. I'm not scared of you. I chose to go with him because I knew my opinion wouldn't matter and decided it'd be better to help keep him safe. If you want to get mad at me for protecting your Mate, then go ahead, but I'll lose all respect for you as an Alpha."

"How am I supposed to keep my pack safe if everyone makes decisions around me?" Derek demanded. His look of anger faded into genuine hurt. His eyes

"It won't happen again," I vowed. Derek sighed, pulling me and Isaac into a group hug.

"I care about you both," he said softly into our ears. "I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to either of you."

Isaac and I squeezed him back. As the hug broke away, Derek kissed me.

Now that everything had settled, I was able to call dad asking him if it was okay for us to pick up the kids. "They're already in bed. They'll be alright for the night. I'll see you in the morning."

Derek lead me up to our room. "I'm sorry I exploded like that," he said. "I didn't realize how much having a kid would change me. My instinct to protect you, Teddy, and Everett is driving me nearly insane. When you're not around, I can't even think straight."

"But threatening Isaac?" I asked.

He turned away. "I don't even know what I was thinking. I feel horrible."

"Well, you should," I replied truthfully. "He looks up to you, you know. You're his Alpha. You're like a brother and father rolled into one. He never meant to anger you. It really was my fault…"

"I know," Derek said. "Can we not talk about it? And until the hunters are gone and I know you are safe, can you at least warn me if you're going to venture out."

"Peter won't hurt me, you know…" I said.

He nodded. "I know. I just don't want to risk it."

* * *

The next morning Isaac and Derek were sitting at the kitchen table when I came down the stairs. There were tears in Isaac's eyes and Derek was rubbing his back. "Is everything alright?" I asked cautiously stepping into the kitchen.

Isaac nodded. "It is now."

I had no idea what he was talking about, but I was glad that Derek and Isaac made up. I poured a cup of coffee and sat at the kitchen table. Derek held my hand as the three of us sat in silence.

The house felt empty without Everett and Teddy so the three of us went to get them. Everett's face lit up as he saw us. "Dada!" he squealed, running to me. I knelt down as he pummeled into me. "Issa!" he called, reaching toward his uncle. Derek grabbed a chuckling Teddy from Dad's arms. For a moment, the threat from the Hunters didn't hang over my head. Dad joined us as we took the kids to the park. Teddy giggled as he watched Isaac and Derek play with Everett on the jungle gym. Dad and I kept him at the swings, which he enjoyed quite a bit.

Dad grinned. "What?" I asked.

"You have a beautiful family," he said softly.

I agreed. I still felt the loss of Peter's absence, but there was nothing about this moment that I would trade for anything.

* * *

**A/N**: Sorry it took so long! I know this chapter was sort of feels-y but there will be action soon, I promise! Let me know what you thought.


	18. Chapter 18

The air was becoming brisk and it felt amazing on my skin. I left a note on my pillow for Derek so he'd know where I was when he woke up. The boys were still asleep and would be for a while. Together, Isaac and I ventured to our spot by the stream. It was important to me that I keep up my friendship with Isaac. I felt so suffocated sometimes from the stress of being a son, a father, and a Mate. Isaac was a breath of fresh air. He was my confidante, my friend, and my brother.

Before I was claimed, he was so sweet to me, even though his lack of experience made him a less-than-perfect lover. If anyone deserved the best things in life, it was Isaac Lahey. I believed that with every atom of my being and I decided I would do my part to help him achieve that.

As we walked the familiar path, we laughed and joked before he grew silent and his smile faded. "What is it?" I asked.

"I was just thinking about my conversation with Derek yesterday," he replied.

"I thought you two worked everything out…"

"We did," he shrugged. "I mean… for the most part. He spent a lot of time apologizing for 'being a shitty alpha'. He said he would try to do better and that he appreciated everything I do to help you and him with your kids."

"We really _do_ appreciate it," I told him.

He smiled and quickly leaned over, putting his lips to mine. My eyes burst wide open in shock. He pulled away moments later, seemingly as startled as I was at what he'd done. "I… I'm sorry," he said, rushing to his feet and starting to walk away.

"Isaac! Wait!" I called. He stopped, his head still hanging. By the way his shoulders were moving, I could tell he was crying. I approached him slowly, wrapping him into a tight hug. He cried into my shoulder. I squeezed him tightly, my more maternal instincts kicked in as I rubbed his back to soothe him. "What's wrong?"

"I feel so lonely, Stiles," he cried. "You have Derek… Scott has Allison. Who do I have? I had part of you for a while and I liked it, but you hated it."

"I didn't hate it, Isaac. You were the one who saved my life," I reminded him.

He smiled. "It wasn't exactly challenging work…"

"All the same, I wouldn't be here if you hadn't," I pointed out.

"Do you miss the way things were before you were claimed?" he asked after a few minutes of silence between us.

"I wouldn't trade having Everett and Teddy for anything… but somehow, things were less complicated then," I answered.

He gave a nervous laugh. "I thought I'd like it better once you had Mated. I didn't expect I'd miss our time together as much as I do."

I understood the implication of what he said. "Isaac… I…"

"I know," he heaved. "I'm just lonely."

"You'll find someone," I told him.

* * *

Everett's first birthday was approaching. That meant that Peter would be coming back again. I kept my promise to send Peter all the documentation we had taken of Everett's life and as I did it, I found myself replaying my conversation with him at the hotel. I worried about him. He didn't sound like _my_ Peter. I once again was questioning the wisdom of the unsteady truce I had negotiated between him and Derek. I regretted it. What I had done to save his life was exactly what was killing him. I realized that I was a monster for what I did. I could have granted him a swift death… allowed him that one mercy. I could have. But I didn't. I spared his life and locked him away from our son with a once-per-year visitation. There were less deserving parents who saw their children more.

As I sat at the computer desk, I began to cry. Derek heard me and wandered in. "Hey what's wrong?" he asked softly, pulling me close to him. I couldn't tell him. Not this. I simply cried into his shoulder and tried to force out those thoughts.

Derek and I made all of the preparations. We also let the Argents know that Peter might be in the area, but that it was permitted. Dad wasn't too happy about the idea of having to see Peter again, but they all agreed that for Everett's sake, they would try to be civil.

When the morning finally came, I woke Everett with laughter, kisses, and singing. He and Teddy seemed to enjoy the fanfare and clapped. I picked him up out of his crib and threw him into the air a bit. He cackled as he fell back down into my arms. "Today is a special day!" I told him. He smiled brightly as Derek grabbed Teddy and we set out the task of changing them and then getting them ready for breakfast.

Dad arrived while we were trying to wrestle some formula into Teddy who was too preoccupied with all the special treatment we were lavishing on Everett to want to be any semblance of cooperative. "May I?" Dad asked.

"Good luck!" Derek chuckled, carefully handing Teddy over.

"Alright, mister!" Dad said, staring into his grandson's eyes. "You worry about you and let them worry about your brother. You'll get this sort of embarrassment soon enough."

Isaac and Derek hung streamers as I finished feeding Everett. "Red!" he chimed as Isaac began blowing up balloons.

"Very good, kiddo!" Derek said proudly, ruffling Ev's hair.

We gave Ev some toys to occupy his time with so that I could help in the balloon blowing. Dad watched, deriving some amusement from it. "How many werewolves does it take to blow up some balloons?" he asked.

When the floor was literally covered in balloons and all three of us were winded from our efforts, we decided to call it quits. "Alright," I said, looking at my checklist. "The last thing to do is pick up the cake."

The door opened and immediately I recognized the scent attached. Derek, Isaac, and my dad all stiffened. "No need, I took that liberty myself," Peter said, flashing his smile.

"Papa!" Everett squealed excitedly, running toward Peter's leg.

"You've gotten so big!" Peter mused, picking our son up and hugging him tightly. "I've missed you so much!"

I shot glares at Derek and Dad as they stood there, arms crossed and lips tight watching it. "You two agreed to be civil."

They exchanged glances and in unison replied, "We are being civil."

Peter finally set Everett down and approached me, giving me a hug which I returned, prompting a growl from Derek. "That's enough!" I hissed back as the hug with Peter ended. "Derek, can I talk to you upstairs?"

"And leave the boys down here unprotected?" Derek replied. "No."

"He looks pissed, Derek… you should go talk with him," Dad said, pulling out his gun, cocking it and setting it on the table. "I'll be right here for just in case. "

"Dad! Put that away. Isaac, make sure nobody tries to kill Peter… and Derek… come with me!" I said, straining myself to keep from shouting.

When we were finally in our room, Derek faced me, his arms still crossed. "What?"

"You know exactly _what_!"

"Excuse me for being less than thrilled that the man who quite literally stole you from me is in the house and you _hugged him_!" he said.

"He's Everett's father!" I replied.

"He's Everett's sperm donor!" Derek retorted. "Everett is just as much my son. I'm the one who calms him down when he has nightmares… I'm the one who changes his diapers…"

I took a deep breath, but I could tell my eyes were flashing in my anger. "Derek… please…"

"I wanted to kill him… make him pay for what he did. _YOU_ were the one who kept him alive. I love Everett… I love him just as much as I love Teddy. For one day a year, I'm not going to pretend that I'm not his father the other 364!" Derek said. "And it isn't fair of you to ask me to."

"Nobody's asking you to!" I fumed. "I'm just asking that for one day a year, you try to make the little time he has with Everett as welcoming as possible… for Everett's sake."

"Why do you keep putting him before me?" Derek demanded.

"I'm not!" I yelled back. "In case you haven't noticed, I sleep on that bed every night with _you_. I love _you._ I grew to love him at one point, Derek. This isn't easy for me, either."

"It sounds like you still do," Derek spat.

"He was part of our pack! For a time, he was my Mate. He'll always hold some place in my heart and the quicker you come to that realization, the easier things will be!" I replied.

I stormed out of the room, deciding that the conversation was over. Peter was standing awkwardly in the dining room with Everett cuddled closely to him, and dad glaring at him.

"Alright, listen up!" I said forcefully. "We are all going to get along and have a good time today. Do you all understand me?"

Everyone nodded, even Derek who was slowly descending the stairs.

Peter spent some time alone with Everett and I kept my hearing focused in on them. It truly shocked me how amazing he was. Everett babbled on in the language only he understood, occasionally words like "Dada," "Papa", "Issa" and "Dewek" would find their way in. Peter humored him and they played with a little wooden train set that we had gotten him.

We held off on lunch so that Everett and Teddy would have some room for cake. Peter even bought a small chocolate cake, knowing the tradition in my family that on every child's first birthday, the kid got a small chocolate cake to themselves, which usually ended up everywhere but the child's stomach.

As we fastened Everett into his high chair and placed the cake in front of him, the tradition held true. Everett took special joy in demolishing the cake. Teddy giggled as he watched his brother become covered in the sticky, sugary mess. All of us laughed. Peter offered to help me bathe Everett before we transitioned into presents. I would have just used some wet paper towel, but Ev had been _so_ thorough in the cake's destruction that a bath was required.

As we bathed Ev, Peter smiled. "I know what kind of strain this is putting on you. Thank you for keeping your promise."

"I've been thinking a lot about you lately," I confessed.

"Is that so?"

"I realize how cruel it was of me to do to you what I did. Nobody deserves that. I really just hope you can forgive me some day," I said, holding back tears.

Peter pulled the plug on the drain, allowing the filthy water to escape and pulled me into a hug. "Is this because of what I said to you at the hotel?" I nodded into his shoulder, losing my resolve as he rubbed my back soothingly. "I didn't mean that. Please don't beat yourself up for it. You're in this position because of what I did. If you need someone to blame… blame me."

"I can't always blame you, Peter… because eventually, I need to recognize that I had some part in it, too. I should have been faithful to Derek," I told him, pulling away and wrapping Everett up in a towel. "I wasn't. And my heart wandered too. So no… you don't get to keep all the blame."

He leaned forward and kissed me as I held our son between us.

"Ahem," Derek said, standing in the doorway. I instantly pulled away.

"Derek… it wasn't his fault. That was all me," Peter said.

"I know… I heard the entire thing. I just have one question for you, Peter… when are you going to stop trying to destroy my family?"

"I'm the reason you have one still, Derek… Never forget that," Peter replied icily.

"You guys… please!" I growled, covering Everett's ears.

"Why don't you go downstairs and get the presents ready. You might not realize it, but Everett has developed a particular way he prefers to be dressed," Derek said, glaring. "But you wouldn't know that."

Isaac and dad rushed up. Isaac immediately took Everett from me. "You two should be ashamed of yourselves," he growled, looking between Derek and Peter.

"The kids do not get to be pawns in your little grudge match! Settle this like adults, or we'll finish the party at Dad's… and neither of you will be there!" I told them, storming out after Isaac, Dad following behind.

We took our time dressing Everett and brought him back downstairs where Peter and Derek were sitting at the kitchen table.

"Have you two finally decided to make Everett your priority?" Isaac asked. His question was harsh, but I didn't disagree.

Derek nodded. "In fact, if it's okay with Stiles, I want to work out a custody agreement that will allow Peter more visits."

I was shocked. "And what brought this on?"

"It's not good for Everett to see us fighting like this… especially not on his birthday. I'm sorry for how I acted."

"Honestly, it's Everett you should apologize to. This was supposed to be his special day," I said.

Derek nodded. "I'm sorry little buddy," he said getting up and taking Everett from my arms.

The rest of the day went smoothly. Everett didn't quite understand the concept of opening presents, but he did enjoy the toys. When he was in bed and Dad had gone home, Peter, Isaac, Derek, and I sat at the table. "So what is the plan you worked out?" I asked.

"Two weekends per month," Derek said. My jaw dropped. Even Peter looked shocked. "We'll call off the Argents."

"And what sparked this generosity?" I asked cautiously.

"Don't think of it as generosity," Derek replied. "Think of it as me protecting my Pack and making sure that my Mate doesn't feel the need to go behind my back with the uncle that nearly destroyed everything."

"So you're doing it to keep tabs on me?"

"Obviously the current arrangement isn't going to work and because I care about Everett, I don't want him to ever feel like he has to choose between me and Peter," Derek said. "You, however, do."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked defensively.

"I mean that either you stop sneaking behind my back with him, which, might I remind you, is the reason we got into this whole mess in the first place, or we're done. I'm tired of you lying to me and keeping things from me. I've been nothing but faithful to you and it's time I got that same respect," he said. "So… who will it be?"

* * *

**A/N**: I'm sorry it took so long! I got so preoccupied with my other stories that I didn't have any time or energy for this one. I also wanted this chapter to be nice and fun... but the Hales just wouldn't cooperate. Let me know what you thought! And I promise... I'll resolve that whole hunter plot eventually...


	19. Chapter 19

I felt hurt that he would even feel the need to make that ultimatum. But I could see why he did it. My hurt turned into an odd breed of self-loathing. Tears came to my eyes as I realized how far I must have pushed Derek to get him to this moment… how much pain I must have truly caused him. I had to wonder if I even deserved him in the first place. Derek's red Alpha eyes bored into me. "I will _always_ choose you, Derek."

He looked relieved and I noticed a glimmer of disappointment in Peter's eyes. In a perfect world, I might have been able to have them both, but I didn't live in that world, and Derek was right. He had been nothing but faithful to me. Even when we were under the Pack Mate bind, he did his best to ensure my comfort when Peter didn't. I loved Derek before I even thought of Peter as an option.

I turned around and headed upstairs, unable to handle being in that room any longer.

I had the covers pulled over my head and was pretending to sleep when Derek climbed into bed beside me about a half an hour later. He placed his hand on my back. "I know you're not asleep. Your heartbeat is too fast. And if you don't want to talk right now… then that's alright. I understand. I shouldn't have put you on the spot like that, but I'm tired of never knowing where our relationship stands when he's involved."

I didn't know how to respond so I stayed quiet. I heard a disappointed sigh and he got comfortable and turned his back to me. He had never done that before. I didn't want him to think I was mad at him so I turned over and wrapped my arm around him, pulling his body against mine. He placed his hand on mine. I silently cried myself to sleep.

* * *

I awoke the next morning to Derek bringing me breakfast. As he sat the tray on the bed, I uttered a quiet "Thank you" and he sat next to me. He leaned his head against me. "I'm sorry," I whispered. He rubbed my leg in acknowledgment.

"I feel like I keep failing my Pack," he said after several minutes of silence. "I'm not a good leader. I'm impulsive and emotional… I keep hurting you and Isaac. I just… when are we going to catch a break?"

"I don't think we'd honestly know what to with ourselves if we got one," I replied. "Our lives have been one thing after another for so long."

"I never want to fall asleep like that again," Derek told me. "We can't leave things unsaid. And I realize… I've never actually let you talk about Peter so I wanted to give you that chance. I promise I won't be angry with you."

"Are you sure?"

"He's going to be a part of our lives… I'd rather we get all of this out in the open," Derek said.

I set my fork down, holding Derek's hand in mine. "Tell me what you want to know."

"Why did you first go to him?"

"When it was just us having sex… things never seemed romantic. I mean, the sex was good… but I figured that it was just sex. You always treated me like I was something fragile. I wanted more but I didn't think you would give me what I wanted," I replied. "Peter was rough… it was primal… and I knew without a doubt exactly what it was with him. It hurt… but I enjoyed it."

Derek nodded. "What about after he claimed you?"

I considered my answer carefully. "By that point, I was in love with you both. I knew it was going to be hard no matter how it went. You both bring out different things in me and having you both kept me in balance. When you left… I couldn't be happy with Peter. I tried. I _really_ tried. I was lost without you."

"And what about now?"

"What Peter did was unforgiveable… but I have to forgive him for Everett. And part of me will always be connected to him… I'll always love him. But I'll never love him the way I love you," I said.

He smiled and leaned over, kissing me. Our kiss was interrupted by the sound of the boys crying. It was too early for them to be awake and I could usually tell what their needs were based on the way the sound of their cries. They didn't sound hungry or as though they needed to be changed. They were scared. Derek and I bolted from our beds running into the nursery. Three hunters were standing in the room. Two of them had crossbows aimed at my sons.

"Such lax security… that's a little cocky, don't you think?" the leader said.

Derek's eyes shifted frantically between the two screaming children. "Whatever your issue is with me and my pack… leave them alone. They're just kids. Your code says…"

"We don't follow the code anymore. We didn't when we decimated your old pack. And we're not going to now. We're going to put an end to your kind. Where better start than the very next generation of monsters," he said.

I held on to Derek's arm. I didn't see this ending well. "Please… don't hurt them. Take me instead."

"Like a true werebitch… willing to die for your pups!" the leader mused. "The crossbows were really just for show." He pulled out two small vials of liquid. "Aconite extract. Just a little bit is all it would take to kill them." The other hunters lowered their weapons. "It'd be painful for them too. They'd scream for you. They'd wonder why you weren't comforting them… and as their tiny hearts give out… they'll understand what monsters they were born to."

"Last I checked, monsters scared little children!" Derek spat.

The leader applauded. "Clever…"

I stepped forward. "If you spare my kids… I'll let you take me. You can kill me in whatever way you see fit. But if you hurt them… we will find you and we will kill every single one of them."

The leader grinned. "But I still have the problem of you having bred these little monstrosities into existence. I think I'll take my chances."

One of the brutes with a crossbow took the arrow out of his and held it over Everett. I couldn't even breathe as I watched. He pricked the tip of the arrow into Everett's arm. He screamed harder. My wolf overtook me. Before I could even stop myself, I had shifted. Derek severed the spine of the other armed guard and I lunged straight for the one who had hurt Everett. They had a history of using wolfsbane laced weaponry.

I clasped his throat with my claws, lifting him up off the floor slightly and bringing his face so close to mine that I could smell the tiny beads of sweat dripping down his face. His breath was ragged. I could see in his eyes that he knew that he was about to die. Derek had the leader bound. "Think about what your kids are about to watch you do…" he said, thinking that this plea was going to save him.

The growl that issued from my throat held every ounce of malice I had for this creature in my grip. Blood was leaking out around my claws. "My sons are about to watch their daddy slay the monsters…"

With my free hand I drove my claws through his chest cavity. Bones snapped and broke I gripped the beating hart and pulled it back through his chest, showing it to him in the few moments he had before death came for him. I dropped his body, turning my attention to the leader. "I tried to give you the peaceful option," I snarled, circling him.

"The arrow wasn't poisoned I swear!" he whimpered.

"I don't care! He stabbed the end of it into my one-year-old son!" I growled back. Derek held him still, knowing that I was about to make my mark.

"They're surrounding the house… they'll know if we don't come back out!"

"Then let's not keep them waiting!" I replied, tossing the two guards out the window and into the layer of dead leaves below. Bones shattered with sickening cracks as they hit. As I returned my attention to him, he began reciting the Hail Mary. "There's no god that will look favorably on what you've done," I told him.

"At least I'll see you in h—" he started but before he could finish, I had shoved my claws into his neck and pulled out the contents of his throat. His metallic blood sprayed me in the face, but I didn't care. As he sunk to his knees and fell over, I savored the rush I got from ending his life. I looked up at Derek who was in his human form, blood staining his skin as it did mine. I shifted back.

"Go check on Isaac," he told me. "I'm going to make sure that the boys are alright."

I rushed downstairs to Isaac's room to find him and Peter in bed. There were tranquilizer darts in both of their necks. I pulled them out and attempted to rouse them. Peter came to first. "What happened?" he asked groggily. "And why are you in your boxers and covered in blood? Am I dreaming?"

"Hunters just attacked. They threatened the kids," I said, not paying any attention to his comment. Isaac began to stir, but Peter jumped to his feet.

"Are they alright?" he demanded.

"We need to get Everett checked. They stuck him with an arrow. It could have been poisoned," I said.

"Are you alright? Whose blood is that?"

"The Hunters'."

"What's wrong?" Isaac asked, slowly sitting up.

"You two got hit with tranquilizer darts," I said. "We were just attacked."

"Is everyone alright? Where are the kids and Derek?" he demanded, also jumping to his feet.

Both of them were naked. It wasn't like I hadn't seen it before. "You two put on clothes. Peter can explain. Derek's with the boys."

I rushed back upstairs. Derek was in the bathroom, washing blood off his hands. "Is Everett alright?"

He nodded. "He already healed from the wound. I couldn't smell any wolfsbane in his system. He'll be alright."

"Unless he remembers…" I said.

"If that's the case, we can take that memory from him. It's your call," he said. I shook my head. He was too small and that process was too risky.

Derek pulled me close to him. "We could have lost them…"

I hugged him back tightly.

* * *

When we had washed the blood from our bodies and the kids' nursery, we heard a thud on the front door. We set them up in the play pen in the living room so we could keep an eye on them. Cautiously, Derek opened the door. An arrow was lodged into the wood with a note attached.

"It's from the Hunters," he said, reading it over. "They said that they'll be coming to end the war on the apogee."

"What's that?" I asked.

"It's the weakest full moon of the year," Peter explained. "It gives us about four months to prepare."

"Haven't we kicked their asses enough?" I asked.

"They almost killed my son," Peter snarled. "I won't let any of them live this time."

Derek walked back towards us, stopping when he was near Isaac. "Why do you smell like…" His eyes widened and he glanced at Peter who fixed a smug grin to his face.

* * *

**A/N**: Since my emotions are a little frazzled from all the ComicCon Teen Wolf stuff... here you go. Let me know what you thought!


	20. Chapter 20

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Derek roared. "With Isaac?! Is there anyone I care about that you _won't_ sleep with?"

I glanced around nervously. Isaac looked absolutely pissed. "Excuse you?" His eyes narrowed and he shot venom at Derek. "Just because you're my Alpha doesn't mean that you have any say over who I share my bed with. This isn't the first time Peter and I have had sex… and quite frankly, it won't be the last."

I had to admit, I was proud of him for sticking up for himself like that. Derek had a tendency to micromanage. Sometimes that tendency blinded him to the bigger picture. Selfishly, I saw their relationship as potentially liberating. I loved Isaac. I wanted him to be happy, and if he could find that happiness in Peter, then he wouldn't have the awkwardness of his feelings for me to contend with. And if Peter was busy with Isaac, maybe I could worry less about him and focus on my relationship with Derek.

"That's not what I meant, Isaac… you don't know him like I do. I don't want to see you get hurt…" Derek replied.

"Have I _not_ been living with you for the past couple of years? Was I _not_ unwillingly brought into the Pack Mate tie with Stiles thanks to him? Have you noticed my presence here at all?" Isaac's voice was icy. "I was having sex with Peter before you had strummed up the courage to have sex with Stiles. I think I know what I'm getting into here. I appreciate your desire to look out for me… but I have to ask… where was that desire when you abandoned us?"

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. I could feel the tensions rising in the room so much so that it was palpable. Derek looked physically pained by what Isaac said. I had to admit that it was a low blow. "Stop arguing," I ordered.

"Well maybe if Derek was spending more time occupying _your_ bedroom, then he wouldn't care so much about what was happening in mine!" Isaac shot back.

I glared at him. "This is not the time to be having that argument," I scolded. "The kids almost died this morning. You two could have been killed. We have far more pressing matters to attend to…"

"This conversation isn't over though!" Derek snarled.

"But it is!" I challenged.

* * *

The old method of guarded patrols became the new norm once again. Chris Argent was furious. "We have a Code for a reason," he snapped when we told him. "What they did was completely inexcusable! Since when did _we_ become worse than the monsters we hunted?" He paused for a moment, considering his company. "No offense."

"None taken," I replied dryly. "How do we take care of Hunters who don't follow the code? We kill one of them, we give them license to kill us… and so far… we've killed four."

"They instigated it. As far as I'm concerned, everything you did was justified," Chris said. "And unfortunately for them, they've managed to piss us off too. The Argent family was the first Hunter family. Thanks to my father's actions, the name of Hunter has been soiled but I have worked too damn hard to fix that and these bastards are not going to get away with it."

"Chris… if these are friends of yours, I don't want to put you in a position that might be uncomfortable," Derek said.

"They nearly killed two innocent children!" Chris said. "They're no friends of mine."

* * *

Everett wasn't sleeping well. He woke up nearly every night in a state of sheer panic. He would always shy away from me when I tried to comfort him and I knew that it was because he'd seen me eviscerate those hunters. "No! Dewek!" Everet kept saying, clutching even tighter every time my Mate tried to put him back in the crib or pass him over to me. Realizing the terror he felt toward me was the most painful thing I'd ever experienced. He was too young to realize that I did it to protect him… to save his life. That I did that scary thing out of love for him.

"I can take the memories out," Derek said after more than a week of this. "He won't remember a thing. I'll make sure of it."

"And what if you hurt him?" I demanded. "Isaac was in agony when Peter did it and he's got a lot more experience with it."

"I can use an Alpha order," Derek suggested. "I'll use it to sedate him. He won't struggle against me. He won't even feel it. It'll be safer."

"I think we should run it by Peter first…" I was nervous. I trusted Derek, but that was my child, and we were talking about him stabbing his claws into my child's neck. I killed a man for pricking that same child in the shoulder with the tip of an arrow. My wolf was not happy about any of this and I could tell that Derek understood.

"With something like this, it'll be better to ask for forgiveness than permission," Derek told me, massaging Everett's back in an attempt to soothe him. "I love him… you know I do, Stiles… I wouldn't be suggesting this if I weren't sure that this was the only way to help him. I won't hurt him."

I squeezed my eyes shut. He was right. Knots tied themselves around the butterflies already in my stomach. Everett's tiny body shuddered in helpless fear as he clutched his arms around Derek's neck. "Do it," I said.

Derek pulled Everett away. "NO!" the child screamed. "DEWEK!"

My Mate's eyes turned red. "It's okay, Everett. Just calm down. Fall asleep. I'm here to keep you safe."

Like all children do, Everett fought it. "Dewek…" he said weakly as Derek's order began to overpower his own will.

"You won't feel any pain," Derek said. "You'll wake up in the morning and you won't remember any of this."

"Dewe—" Everett faded into sleep.

Derek passed him to me and I held him tightly. Tears were threatening to fall. "Please be careful," my voice cracked as I implored my Mate.

He extended his claws and felt for the best place to insert them. I winced as they came into contact with Everett's skin. I had to look away as it punctured the soft, unblemished flesh. Derek braced himself, searching for the right memory and absorbing it out of my son. A droplet of blood leaked out as Derek removed his claw. "It's done." The wound healed quickly. "No harm done. I think that was worse for you than it was for him."

"It's nothing to joke about," I hissed. I carefully laid Everett back in his crib.

Derek leaned over and kissed Everett on the forehead before he and I retreated to our room to finally get some sleep. Everett didn't have any more night terrors.

* * *

**A/N**: Sorry it's so short… but there are still some story arcs I want to fit in before the final battle with the Hunters. And I think that we're overdue for some Stiles and Derek time… so expect some hot (versatile!) encounters in the next chapter. As always, feedback is welcome. I'll try to update soon… I'm just a little preoccupied with my other stories (Perigee, Crime and Punishment, and Never Trust a Pirate). If you haven't already, feel free to check those out!


	21. Chapter 21

Isaac's claws swiped fast. Much faster than I moved. I cried out as the skin broke and the metallic smell of my blood filled my nostrils. I saw Peter coming up behind me, claws extended, ready to strike. I turned around, driving my claws into his stomach. He roared in pain as I retracted them, falling to his knees.

Isaac rushed to his side. "Are you okay?"

Peter nodded. "Yeah. I'm a werewolf remember… I'll heal." Isaac kissed Peter's forehead eliciting a smile I hadn't seen on Peter since he and I were Mates. Peter gazed into Isaac's eyes, planting their lips together for a moment.

I cleared my throat. "Not that I'm not thrilled to see you two so in love, but we only have three months to train…"

Isaac and Peter both laughed as Peter got back to his feet. His injuries had already healed, as had mine.

"Fighting needs to become instinct. Use your other senses… predict your opponent's moves. You're reacting… and that's going to get you killed!" Peter said.

"I'm trying!"

"Stiles, you're fighting like a human… not a werewolf," Isaac told me. "Let your wolf take over. He'll protect you…"

I nodded, getting back into my fighting stance. Isaac and Peter both got into position, one on either side of me. Once again, we were a frenzy of slashing claws. I was afraid to let my wolf take over. It was rather homicidal and I didn't want to accidentally hurt Isaac. I ducked, narrowly avoiding a rather strong pass from Peter, but was unable to avoid Isaac pinning me, his claws at my throat.

I let out a frustrated roar. Everett's voice snapped me out of my self-doubt. "Issa! No!" he said angrily, running toward us and yanking on Isaac's jeans. Both of us laughed.

Isaac picked him up. "It's alright, buddy! We were just playing."

Everett narrowed his eyes, pointing ominously at his uncle. "No!"

Peter laughed, taking our son into his arms. "Are you Daddy's brave protector?"

Everett nodded enthusiastically, before shooting one last glare at Isaac. I couldn't help but laugh before noticing his clothes were covered in glitter. Looking over, I saw a less-than enthusiastic Derek walking off the front porch and into the sunlight. Rays bounced off his skin as he approached us.

"Derek, are you starring in a Twilight film we don't know about?" I asked, choking back a laugh.

"Everett thought the glitter would go better on me and Teddy than on the paper," Derek replied moodily.

"Dewek pwetty!" Everett cackled, causing us all to erupt in bouts of laughter.

"Derek Hale… the prettiest Alpha," Isaac grinned. Derek merely scowled.

Once Derek and Teddy were clean and, for the most part, glitter free, Isaac suggested taking the boys for some time in the park so that Derek and I could have a little time alone, which we hadn't really gotten since the attack a month before. Derek was hesitant to let Teddy anywhere near Peter to which Isaac replied, "Do you honestly think I'd let anything happen to him?"

"I trust you implicitly, Isaac," Derek said quietly. "It's him I don't trust."

Peter decided to inject himself into the conversation. "I won't harm Teddy in any way, Derek. He's my flesh and blood, too."

"Laura was your flesh and blood and you killed her."

Peter stiffened. He looked genuinely hurt by Derek's words. Isaac hugged him in an attempt to comfort Peter. "If you don't want us to watch them, we won't… I just figured you two would want some time as a couple.

Derek sighed. "Don't let him have any sugar."

Smiling, Isaac walked over to pick Teddy up from his play pen. Derek and I gave both the boys a tight hug and a kiss before Isaac brought them out, transferring the car seats from Derek's Camaro to Peter's Mustang.

We watched them drive off. I could hear Derek's increased heartbeat. "Isaac will keep Teddy safe," I promised him. "But he's right. You and I need some time together. I can't remember the last time…"

He kissed me, effectively shutting me up. His hands dipped between my pants and my skin. I could feel his hand on my ass, his finger inching toward my opening, slipping inside me. I moaned into his mouth as another finger entered me. "Derek…."

"I want you inside me," Derek whispered.

"Who am I to disobey a request from my Alpha," I chuckled, leading him up to our room.

I pulled the clothes from his body and licked my way down his torso. "Do it… please…"

I loved when he sounded eager. He wrapped his legs around me as I fidgeted with my jeans, trying to get them off. His eyes looked up at me, pleading for me to obey his wish. As soon as I was free, I leaned into him, our cocks touching. I grabbed some lube and began to prepare him. I was going to give him what he wanted... because I wanted it too.

As I pressed against him, he winced. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," he breathed. "Just... let's go." I kissed him before pushing further. He was tight and warm around me. He grunted as I pushed further in. I had been so long without release that I didn't know how long I would last inside him. I stayed inside him for several moments, trying to summon the willpower not to shoot. "Stiles… you know I love you… Just please… I need you to move."

"I'm sorry," I winced. "I'm just not going to last long."

"That's alright," he grunted. I slowly thrust in and out of him. I could feel it building. I hated that the only times I did this, I couldn't last the way he could. But his face seemed to indicate that he was enjoying it, and soon enough he'd be enjoying me.

My breath quickened and I knew he could hear my heart racing. I focused on the sensations inside him. How tight, but slick he felt with the lube. I could see his chest rising and falling as I moved back and forth. I ran my hands through his hair. Several more thrusts and I exploded inside him, my body shaking as I collapsed. He clenched around me, as though he were milking my cock with his ass.

Derek turned us over, pulling himself off of me and quickly entering me. I cried out, unprepared for his actions. My body was designed to take my Mate, so the pain quickly faded. I watched his body moved against mine. I could see every muscle under his tan skin. His scruff scratched against my chest as he kissed my body, pumping furiously into me. I felt whole. My skin tingled like electricity was flowing from him. I'd never felt like this with him before and I loved it.

His hips rolled as he fucked me, causing me to gasp and moan until he began knotting and couldn't move anymore. His lips brushed mine as he stayed perfectly still "I'm sorry I can't ever last when you want to be fucked," I said softly.

"It's not your fault, actually," Derek replied. "It's your wolf fighting you. Doing it causes me to submit to you and your wolf is uncomfortable with dominating an Alpha so it rushes you through it. If you were also an Alpha, it'd be fine."

"Well that just sucks."

"Not really," he chuckled. "I enjoy it. A lot."

He wrapped his arms around me. "This time felt different than before…" I admitted.

"You're right," he agreed. "It was better."

"I'm not complaining… but why?"

He shrugged. "Maybe it's because we're growing closer as Mates?"

"Could it be that Isaac and Peter are falling for one another?"

Derek made a face. "I'm not happy about that. Why'd you remind me?"

I scoffed. "Why not? Isaac deserves happiness!"

"Yeah," Derek said. "With someone else."

I shook my head. "He's happy with Peter. And Peter seems to be happy with him. Why are you so against them?"

"Well… for one, I'm trying to spend some quality time just being us and you're bringing them up… and for two, if they get together, Peter becomes one of my Betas," Derek said.

"Another Beta will increase the power of our pack," I pointed out.

"Yeah… but it means I'm stuck with him even more so than I am now. I didn't want him living here again…"

"Can't you just be happy for Isaac? The poor guy has gone through enough."

Derek sighed. "You're right. I hate it when you're right."

"The quicker you learn that I'm always right, the easier our relationship will be," I joked.

Derek laughed and kissed me again. "I love you Stiles."

"I love you, too."

* * *

**A/N**: Thanks for reading! I wanted it to be more sex... but the characters just wouldn't go with it for some reason. Next chapter... the big battle with the Hunters. And one of our beloved characters will die.


	22. Chapter 22

The smell of his blood wouldn't leave me. It covered me as I carried the limp body onto the porch. Tears fell from my eyes onto his chest. Isaac and Peter both kept their distance. They knew I needed space right then. And to be honest, I wasn't sure what I'd do if they approached. My brain simply couldn't process losing him. My only consolation was that his blood wasn't the only blood that stained my skin and clothing.

The hunter who fired the arrow had been torn to shreds, too.

* * *

**One Week Earlier**

The apogee was close. Luckily, my fighting had improved. Derek also assured me that in the heat of battle, my wolf would be more likely to kick in. I was glad. Chris Argent and I were of the same mind: hunters that refused to follow the code were not going to be permitted to live.

As I sat in the nursery with Teddy, I felt fearful. There was no doubt in my mind that the hunters had to be taken care of, but this was not without its risk and it would be naïve to think that all of us would come back unharmed. In one week, my family and friends were going to end the feud one way or another. My only worry was for Teddy and Everett and who they might lose in exchange for the chance to grow up without fear.

I watched as Teddy slept in my arms. His curly hair was the same black as Derek's. Derek joined me. "I was wondering where you were…" he said softly, gazing at our son.

"I'm scared," I admitted. "For them."

"It's natural," he replied. "I am too."

"Who is going to watch them during the fight?" I asked.

Derek pulled up a chair and sat next to me, his hand caressed Teddy's head. "There isn't a chance I could convince you to stay with them, is there?"

I sighed. "I've been training for months. They threatened _my_ children. I'm not going to sit on the sidelines like I did in high school. I'm going to make them all pay," I replied.

"I thought as much," he said, chuckling nervously. "What about your dad?"

I liked that idea. Dad could take the boys far away and bring them back only when he got the all-clear. "Let's ask."

The next day, Derek, Peter, and I all met my dad for lunch. Isaac agreed to watch the kids. I was actually surprised by Peter's insistence on joining us, but I didn't argue and neither did Derek. Peter had just as much to lose.

Dad didn't seem to enjoy sitting across from my former Mate, but I was glad he did it. "In a few days, the Hunters are coming back to end the fight once and for all. But we need someone to take the kids and keep them safe until the all-clear comes through."

"Where are they now?" Dad asked.

"They're with Isaac," Derek replied.

"Sounds good. Let's stay with that plan," Dad said. "They tried to kill my son and grandsons. I'm not going to sit by while you fight and do nothing."

I struggled to keep my voice low. "You won't be doing nothing! You'll be protecting them and out of danger!"

Dad studied me. "You're doing this to try and keep me safe? Stiles… I'm a sheriff. I can defend myself."

"And you're my dad and I don't want anything to happen to you!" I shot back.

"Stiles, keep your voice down. We're in public," Peter warned. He then turned to my dad. "I know you're not fond of me… but we both love Everett. You're the best bet to protect them and take care of them if something happens to us."

Dad leaned into the table. "You're werewolves. They're human."

"They're Hunters! They've been killing werewolves since the 1700s," Derek replied. "Please, Mr. Stilinski. Protect them."

Dad leaned back, sighing. "I will, Derek. From the front lines."

* * *

Isaac had copies of their birth certificates, enough cash to allow them to disappear forever, and Derek's and my eternal gratitude. Before he drove off, Derek and I watched as Peter pulled Isaac close, kissing him. "We'll call you when it's over. If you don't get a call… keep running," he said when the kiss was over.

Tears formed in Isaac's eyes. "You better survive..." he said, holding Peter tightly.

"They've tried killing me," Peter joked. "It didn't stick."

"I love you," Isaac said softly.

Peter placed another kiss on Isaac's lips. "I love you, too."

Derek had a look of mild disgust. When they stopped saying their goodbyes, Isaac hugged me and Derek. "Stay safe," I told him.

"You too," Isaac said.

We helped get the kids in their car seats. Tears formed in my eyes. This could be the last time I saw my children. "You're gonna go with Uncle Isaac for a little while. Be good. I love you," I said, kissing their foreheads.

"Daddy no cwy!" Everett said.

I smiled. "It's going to be ok, just remember we love you." I gave Teddy a big kiss. Derek and Peter also said their goodbyes to the kids before Peter kissed Isaac one more time. Dad drove up just in time to see the kids before Isaac had to leave. The sun was going down. The battle was about to begin.

The Argents emerged from the woods surrounding the house. "We've set traps throughout the area. We scented them so you know what to avoid," Chris said.

Scott and Allison also emerged. "We're going to make them pay, Stiles," Scott said.

Derek and I stuck close together. "Where are they?" I asked.

"Maybe they did us a favor and killed themselves?" Derek replied.

"These are the worst hunters in history," I sighed.

"Oh… you're going to make me cry," a strange voice said, stepping out of the darkness. Derek and I froze.

"You don't follow the code," Derek said. "There's a reason the code exists."

"What do you know about the code?" the hunter asked.

"I know that when I was 16, a hunter didn't follow the code and my entire family was burned alive," Derek growled.

"Applause to that hunter. The only good werewolf is a dead one. The code has kept your kind alive for far longer than it should have," the hunter replied.

"Well… you've done a pretty bang up job of trying to get rid of my pack," I said. "How many times have we kicked your asses?"

"And how many packs have I destroyed?" he shot back. The hunter began to laugh. "You see… you still labor under the delusion that those who think like I do are just a small minority. But no… it's the vast majority of hunters who feel the way I do. And you offed a few of us… but that's okay because now we can go by the code. We're going to kill you all."

Several more hunters stepped out of the darkness. "Why couldn't we smell them or hear them?" I asked softly.

"I don't know…" Derek replied. Quickly, we howled to let the others know where we were.

There were guns and crossbows all aimed at me and Derek. I wasn't sure how we were going to get out of this one. The leader pulled out a large sword. "So who will die first?"

"How about you," Chris's voice broke the silence. A gunshot sounded and the hunter dropped dead in front of us. Derek and I shifted. Peter, Scott, and Allison came up joining us. My father followed soon behind, his gun at the ready. I felt weak. I knew it had to be from the apogee. Derek and I quickly moved. Dad, Chris, and Allison hid behind trees, getting shots in as they could, managing to drop several of the hunters. The werewolves were busy trying to take out the rest.

These hunters weren't the fools I mistook them for. They were not going down easily. Every time I almost had one's throat, he found a way to get out of my grip. I tried to get my wolf to take over. It was a fucking full moon, after all.

Gunshots blasted, their sound disorienting me. I ducked, narrowly escaping a swing of the broadsword.

I drove my claws into the bastard. "Who brings a sword to a gunfight?" His metal-smelling blood filled my lungs. I could feel my wolf stirred. Now it wanted to join the fight.

I started focusing on one hunter at a time. I didn't move on to the next until that one's life had been snuffed out. Peter was racking up a bit of a body count, too whereas Scott was busy trying to make sure nobody got too close to the hunters and my father.

I tore through each one. All of them were defiant, even in their last moments. They genuinely believed they were doing the right thing. That just pissed me off more. When was killing children the right thing to do? Then again, it seemed as though for every hunter we killed, three more showed up.

We fought for hours. Finally, we were down to a manageable handful. No more were appearing. This fight was easier than I thought it might be. Then unmistakable sound of a crossbow was heard. I looked up, watching him sink to his knees, the wolfs bane-laced arrow in his chest and blood coming out of his mouth. He caught my eyes. The world seemed to move in slow motion as I watched him clutch his chest. My eyes trained on the hunter who fired the shot. I pounced on him, tearing his throat out with my teeth. His blood poured down my throat and I didn't care. I shredded his body, crushed his bones into splinters and even then, I wasn't satisfied. There was a quick effort to kill the remaining hunters as I rushed to his side, picking his torso up and trying to apply pressure to the wound. Like I did with Isaac, I snapped off the end and pulled it out.

"You're going to be okay," I said, knowing that it was a lie. He was dying.

"Let the boys know I love them," he managed, struggling to find the strength to speak.

"I will," I promised.

"And son," he said, coughing. More blood came out of his mouth.

"Yes, dad?" I asked, tears falling freely. I shifted back.

"I'm proud of you. You were the best son a dad could ask for," He tensed.

"Stay with me… you're not gonna die!" I said.

"Yeah, Stiles," he coughed again. "I am."

"Don't say that!" I sobbed.

"It's true. But you were amazing," he wheezed. "Your mom would be proud."

He reached up, his hand caressing the side of my face. I placed my hand on top of his. There was one last breath and his body went limp. "No…" I whispered. "Dad… Derek… turn him!"

Derek slowly approached, leaning down. "I'm sorry, Stiles… there's wolfs bane in his system. I can't…"

"Then what good are you?" I growled.

Backing away, I heard Derek tell Peter to call Isaac and meet us back at the house. Derek kept trying to comfort me and I repeatedly pushed him away. I picked up my father's body. This didn't have to happen. He could have been saved. He could have gone on not even knowing about the fight. I was the one who dragged him into it. I killed him.

Once we were back home, I was glad to see that the kids were inside and they wouldn't have to lay eyes on their grandfather's body. Derek once again tried to comfort me. "Leave me alone," I snarled.

"I'm trying to help you," he said softly.

"You can't," I replied. My mind's eye was a "Best of" reel of all the times I lied to him, kept things from him… when I ran away. He went a year thinking I might be dead. I put him through that heartache. "I didn't deserve you," I said, holding Dad's body tightly to mine, "I'm so sorry…"

* * *

**One Week Later**

Trying to explain to Everett and Teddy that they couldn't go over to their grandpa's house was too painful. I couldn't do it. When I tried, I suddenly began to shake and sweat. My pulse skyrocketed and I could barely see straight. I knew those symptoms well. I dealt with them my entire childhood. Peter and Isaac stayed with the kids while Derek rushed me outside for fresh air.

I cried into his shoulder. How I managed to keep it together during his funeral was beyond me.

But Derek stayed there by my side, helping to keep me standing when there were moments that I thought I was going to die under the pressure of my grief. I knew he understood how I felt. His parents were dead, too.

When I could finally breathe again, Derek squeezed my hand in his. "You're going to be okay, Stiles."

"When?"

Derek shrugged. "I don't know. But we're all here for you." I gave him a weak smile of appreciation. It took nearly all the strength I had to do it. "And you need to know, it's not your fault."

I wasn't sure I agreed.

* * *

**A/N**: This was so hard to write… I'm sorry! I know watching the show is painful enough. Let me know what you thought.


	23. Chapter 23

Derek, Isaac, and Peter stopped trying to convince me that Dad's death wasn't my fault. They also kept trying to take shifts and someone was near me at all times in case I had a panic attack, which I did… often. It only served to piss me off, though. Especially when I would walk into a room and they all stopped talking.

I hadn't even tried to figure out what to do with the house. Dad left everything to me. I put the substantial amount of money into high-interest accounts for the kids, but I avoided that house at all costs.

Derek and Isaac offered to help me with it, but I refused. I couldn't walk in there… I couldn't smell him everywhere. I just couldn't.

I found solace with the kids. They didn't have to look over their shoulders. They could grow up normally. They had us. And while I wanted _so_ badly for them to have their grandpa, too… I couldn't give that to them, so I had to be strong.

It was Chris Argent who managed to pull me out of my slump.

* * *

Two months had passed. The panic attacks were still happening, but they were less frequent. Peter and Isaac had been making sure that my Dad's house stayed maintained. They always smelled slightly like my dad when they came home, but I was able to handle it.

I was home alone with the kids when Chris came over. Welcoming him into the house, he and I sat down at the kitchen table. "How are you holding up?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Some days are better than others, I guess," I replied. "I think they've finally given up on trying to cheer me up. That was annoying. So what brings you here?"

"I have a job for you… if you want it," Chris replied.

"I guess that would depend on the job," I sighed.

"The Argents have been hunting for longer than anyone. I've worked hard to clear my family name after what my father and sister did. And it's time for there to be an authority among Hunters. I've got contacts with other Hunters all over the country who are willing to recognize the Argent Family as the leaders and allow me to create a council consisting of one member of each of the big four Hunting families as well as a werewolf who can be fair-minded," he said.

"Why do you want me? Wouldn't Derek be better?" I asked.

Chris shook his head. "No. After what Kate did to his family, I can't trust him to keep a level head."

"And after what they did to my Dad, you can trust me?"

"Yes," Chris replied. "You need to heal. You need to realize that what happened wasn't your fault. It was the Hunters' fault. He never would have been involved if they hadn't gone rogue. We need to enforce the code and bring to justice all Hunters who refuse. We aren't here just to kill supernatural creatures. We're here to ensure that humans have a fighting chance against monsters." I winced at the word "monster." He noticed. "And maybe it's time we also protect supernatural creatures from the monsters, too."

"I don't know how this will help me heal. Or solve anything," I admitted.

Chris leaned toward me, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. "I've known you since you were a teen. You're one of the best people I've ever met. You get that from your father. Help me make sure that he is the last innocent life who is lost in this war."

"Can I think it over?"

"Of course."

* * *

I mulled it over for about a week before finally agreeing. It was only after accepting my place on the Hunters' Council that I even told Derek, Isaac, and Peter.

"Why do they want a werewolf on the council?" Peter asked, understandably skeptical.

"Hunters will no longer be just protecting humans from supernatural creatures who can't control themselves. So why should the humans who refuse to curb their bloodlusts not be judged by the creatures they kill?" Derek said. "I like this idea. I support it."

"So what happens to Hunters who get called before the Council?" Isaac asked.

"We review the situation. If we deem that the code has been broken, then we administer justice," I said.

"And you think you can be a fair judge?" Peter asked.

"Do you?" I returned the question. He averted his eyes. Isaac also averted his eyes, scooting closer to Peter. I turned to Derek. "Any chance my Mate has faith in me?"

He stayed silent for a few moments. "At one time, perhaps. But your children were threatened and your father was killed by hunters. Can you honestly push that out of your mind when coming to a judgment? If you can, then I support your decision. If you can't… then I think you need to refuse."

That hurt. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Derek."

I moved to get up, but he grabbed my hand. "Stiles, that's… don't take it like that. I have faith in you. But the way you reacted to your dad… I'm just worried what it might do to you to face this kind of thing over and over again. You haven't let him go. You won't even step foot in his house. Can you handle reliving this?"

"What are you trying to say?" I demanded, feeling very defensive.

"I'm trying to say that I'm worried about you! We all are. You're different now," he said.

"I lost my father!"

"We understand that, Stiles… but…" he started.

"But what, Derek?" I snapped.

"You lost yourself, too."

* * *

Despite what they said, I still took the position on the Council. Our first order of business was to update and distribute the Code to all known Hunting families, and those who refused to follow it would suffer the consequences.

We increased the burden of proof required to justify hunting werewolves. We included provisions that prevented provocation. We established 18 as the minimum age for which a werewolf could be held accountable for their actions; though an Alpha could be punished (but not killed) for failing to take keep the reins on their younger Betas.) Torture was often used to elicit confessions from werewolves suspected of killing. We got rid of it. When we got to the honor code dictating suicide if a Hunter got bitten, we had to deliberate. Chris was the most reticent to touch that subject, understandably. His wife died because Derek bit her to save Scott.

It took weeks of deliberation to come to an agreement. We eventually decided that we would get rid of it. A Hunter could choose to take their own life, or they could join the pack of the Alpha that bit them. We did, however, include provisions that permitted Hunters to go after werewolves who knowingly bit Hunters without provocation.

When we were happy with the new version of the Code, we sent it off, requesting that every family respond, letting us know that their intentions to either follow or reject the code.

Then the decision had to be made about what to do with those who refused. That decision was unanimous. If a Hunter killed a werewolf outside of the specifications of the Code, they would face council who would decide administer the same punishment they reserved for werewolves who killed innocents. They would be cut in half like the monsters they had become.

It didn't take long before we had to enforce this justice.

A Hunter in Southern Oregon killed an Omega who was just travelling through the area in an act of defiance towards the Council. It was his family member who reported the crime to us, sending photos and video footage that made me sick to my stomach when I watched it. It wasn't just murder… it was slaughter.

Derek and Isaac agreed to be there when the sentence was carried out to show the Hunter that this new system was the only way both sides could continue. Being the strongest, it was I who had to carry out the sentence.

"My family can trace its lineage back to Van Helsing!" the hunter, Alan, screamed as we strung him up.

"And I can trace mine to Gévaudan!" Chris snarled back. "Our profession once had honor!"

"And your family was one of the first to set the code aside!" Alan taunted.

"Look where it got us!"

"Just kill me already!"

As I raised the sword, I realized that it felt heavier than I anticipated. I pronounced his sentence. "Alan Seger, you have been found guilty of murder and violation of the Hunters Code by the Unified Hunter Council. For your crimes, you will be executed like the monsters you hunted. Do you have any last words?"

"Go to hell you fucking mutt!" he yelled, spitting onto my face. I wiped it away in annoyance. "You can all go to hell!"

Looking over at Chris, he gave me a nod, permitting me to proceed. I reared back the blade and swung it powerfully. It sliced through his body. The contents of his torso rushed out of him, falling to the ground. I backed away, trying to look anywhere but at him.

Derek slowly approached me, pulling me into a hug. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," I said. "The bastard deserved it."

The other members of the Council assured me they would take care of the body and that I could go back home.

Derek interlaced his fingers with mine, leading me off. It wasn't lost on me that I had added to my rather large body count. It also wasn't lost on me that I had looked a man in the eyes and executed him. I felt nauseous, but I knew I had done what was necessary to ensure that we all had a fair shot. The Code meant nothing if it wasn't enforced. There was also something sort of poetic about him being executed by a werewolf. I just hoped that he realized in his last wakeful moments that he wasn't a martyr. He was a murderer.

* * *

"I owe you an apology," Derek said once we were home and in bed.

"And why is that?" I asked.

"I didn't think you could remain fair about this and you have. Your father would be proud of you." Derek nuzzled close to me.

I sighed, staring up at the ceiling. "My single biggest regret is telling him about that fight. I should have realized he'd want to be there."

"But it wasn't your fault…" Derek said softly.

"I know that now. But it doesn't make the fact that he died any less painful," I replied.

Derek's lips grazed my jaw. "Own your pain. But don't trap yourself with it. That's what I did and… if it hadn't been for you, I'd probably not be here now. You saved me from myself."

I turned my head to face him, kissing him deeply, passionately. "And you returned the favor."

I decided that tomorrow, I was going to finally start going through Dad's stuff.

* * *

**A/N**: Okay… I couldn't keep you waiting after how I ended the last chapter. Again… I'm really sorry! But Papa Stilinski's death had to happen for a permanent resolution to the Hunter problem. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please don't hate me. =[


	24. Chapter 24

I finally allowed myself to go to my father's house. Derek held my hand as I walked through it. Everything was covered in a layer of dust. Dad's scent was still everywhere. Tears formed in my eyes as I saw the pictures of him, me, the kids, and mom all over the house. Derek monitored my heart beat, prepared for a panic attack to come at any moment. "We can come back another day if you want," he reminded me.

I shook my head. "No… I need to do this."

He rubbed my back "If you need a break, I can finish it." I rested my head against his shoulder before beginning the process.

We worked the entire day, sorting the belongings into what I wanted to keep, what I would donate, and what I would sell. I decided to see if Peter and Isaac wanted anything.

Quite a bit got accomplished and by the time we returned home, I was exhausted. Isaac greeted us at the door, offering me a hug. I could smell the dinner he had prepared for us. "I thought you might need some comfort food," he said.

"Thanks," I forced myself to smile back at him. I didn't have much of an appetite, but I humored him and ate, grateful for his help.

When I thought I'd eaten a sufficient amount of food, I excused myself from the table, heading upstairs to kiss my sons goodnight and then go to bed.

I allowed myself to cry once my head hit the pillow. I allowed myself to mourn the fact that I would eventually no longer be able to smell my father's scent… that I would never again feel the comforting embrace of his arms around me. Derek joined me before too long. "Do you need a hug? Would you prefer to be left alone?" he asked.

I patted his spot on the bed, indicating for him to join me. He crawled in next to me and I closed the space between our bodies, sobbing into his chest as he rubbed my back, placing sweet kisses on my head. "When will it stop hurting?" I asked.

His arms squeezed tightly around me. "Losing someone you love never stops hurting, Stiles. But eventually, it'll hurt less."

* * *

The next morning, Derek went back to Dad's house to move the boxes. As I sat in the nursery, feeding the boys their breakfast, Peter joined me. He pulled Everett onto his lap, pretending the spoon was an airplane, which amused our son quite a bit. "There's something I wanted to talk to you about," he said after several minutes had passed.

"Sure, what's up?" I asked.

He seemed to be struggling to figure out how to word what he was about to say. He stared at Everett for a few minutes before sighing. "I… I want to take things with Isaac to the next step."

I had to admit that I didn't see that coming. "And what would that step be?"

"For werewolves, it's a Mating bite," he said. "It essentially establishes a Mate bond between two wolves who weren't otherwise destined. I love him, Stiles."

"Would you two be able to have kids?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Possibly. I'd like to have kids with him."

"I don't understand… why did you want to talk to me about it?"

"If I do this… and if Isaac is able to have my kids, then Everett will get a brother or sister. This affects you because it affects him," he said. "I want your blessing."

A grin affixed itself to my face. "Of course you have my blessing."

* * *

"I don't like it," Derek growled.

"You don't have a choice," I reminded him. "They're Mates now. And Isaac is pregnant. Besides… this way, we finally have privacy again."

"But this is the house you grew up in… shouldn't _we_ be moving there?" he asked.

"And uproot the kids? No. Besides… I don't think I could handle being there all the time," I replied.

"He's my beta," Derek sighed. "I'm supposed to protect him."

I smiled. "He'll still be your beta. And so will Peter. And their kid. Please try to be happy for them."

Our family was growing. We decided to raise all three children as siblings, rather than trying to explain why Isaac's child was Everett's brother and Teddy's cousin. They'd figure it out eventually.

I still served on the Hunter's Council and as time went on, the loss I felt over Dad was becoming easier to deal with. Knowing that the house he loved was being put to good use certainly helped. "You realize that with the exception of when I left… this is the farthest I've lived away from Isaac since I turned him?" Derek asked.

"You sound like a worried father. It's adorable."

"I'm only going to be worse when Everett and Teddy move off to college," he promised. "Get ready for the real water works then."

As the car pulled to a stop in our driveway, I looked from Derek to my two sons in the back seat. I became aware of how different my life was now and everything I had gone through. It was surreal. At my side was the man I loved and our children. There was the gaping hole where my dad should have been, but I knew that wound was likely to never fully heal.

Isaac and Peter were now declared Mates and were starting a family of their own. They truly seemed happy, and I was happy for them.

The biggest difference of all, however, was that it took becoming a part of a pack to make me fully aware of who I was as an individual. I belonged to nobody but myself. My heart, however, belonged to them all.

* * *

**A/N**: Well... I hope you enjoyed the story. This was the second one I started... and I had such a blast writing it. Please check out my other stories, too and let me know how you liked the ending.


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